


Sunflowers Only last a Week

by Marinayglitter964



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Asexual Pidge, But he won’t stay like this for long, Cuban Lance, Disaster Gays, Dissasociation, Domestic Violence, Everybody’s morally grey, Except for Lance lmao lance isn’t precious as fuck, F/M, Gay Keith, Gen, Help group, Homophobia, Hostage Situation, I actually know Spanish so it won’t be cringey, I forgot his other brothers name but just know there gangs all there, Insecure Lance, Japanese Keith, Keith has anger issues, Keith has anger management issues, Keith is an asshole with feeling, Keith says off the wall shit for shock value, Lance (Voltron) Has ADHD, Lance unironically buys earrings from Claire’s, Lances dad, Lance’s family are not what they seem, Lance’s mom - Freeform, Langst, Love doesn’t solve everything but having people who love and support you can help tremendously, M/M, Medication, Multi, PTSD, Pidge enjoys dresses, Rachel McClain, Racist Slurs, Rape, Schizophrenia, Shiro’s a police officer, Slow Burn, Slurs, Smut, Socially Akward Keith, Space Dad Shiro, Spanish, Stolckholm Syndrome, Sunflowers, Uber Friendly lance, Use of Sanchez last name, ableist slurs, bi lance, broganes, domestic abuse, grey morality, he also has a baseball tee in every color, lance is trying his best, non-con, oblivious lance, ok I’m done, pinning, pinning Keith, police officer shiro, probation, sooo much pinning, veronica mcclain - Freeform, “I don’t need friends they dissapoint me” Keith Kogane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-06-28 00:32:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15696525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marinayglitter964/pseuds/Marinayglitter964
Summary: “What you need is your family, familiar surroundings can help stabilize you mentally, and can also help ground you when you feel overstimulated”After a traumatizing breakup, Lance is prescribed a medication, regular counseling, and a Summer helping at his family’s sunflower farm, all the while trying to get over his love for a person who did nothing but hurt him.“Your angry, your upset over what happened and that’s completely understandable. What’s not understandable is you taking that anger out on people who can’t control the situation. This is your last option before they arrest Kogane. Get.your.shit.together”After commiting a crime and being put on probation, keith has court ordered Anger management counseling, and must report back in with a physiatrist within every two weeks. After a month of no improvement, he’s sent out to help a ederly couple manage their sunflower farm in hopes that his probation is lifted.But what will happens when these two broken souls collide?





	1. Daffodils at dawn

**Author's Note:**

> So I started this cause I was intrigued to see what I would with a story like this. Obviously I took a lot of liberties and I hope y’all enjoy it. 
> 
> I chose sunflowers because without proper care the start to die at a faster rate and require a lot of patience and attention. Y’all figure that one out.
> 
> I took the fictional town route because I felt that I could do more worldbuildong without the restrictions of matching up events to real life places.
> 
> Hope y’all enjoy!!

_Sunday, May 13 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_2:13 AM_

_”Hansdenshile Police Department, what’s your emergency?”_

_”Um yes, I was calling because I think I hear screaming in the apartment above me. I don’t really know who lives their and I don’t want to check it out and worsen the situation. Can you send someone over here to check it out instead?”_

_”Of course ma’am, where is the apartment complex located?”_

_I’m at the Everglade Woods Apartment complex and my room is 419,I think the room above me is 426”_

_“Alright we’ll send someone over to check it out”_

_”Thank you so much sir”_

_”No problem”_

 

 

_Sunday, May 13 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_4:36 AM_

_”Hansdenshile Police Department, what’s your emergency?”_

_”Ya, um my name’s Rolo. The apartment a couple doors down from me is making up a racket. I keep hearin’ shit fall and glass breakin’ and I was wonderin’ if y’all could come over here and check this shit out cause I can’t fuckin sleep”_

_”Alright Sir, can you tell me where your complex is located.”_

_”Oh yea, Everglades Woods, the one by that food lion on 8th Avenue.”_

_”Everglades Woods? We got a call about them around two hours ago. You guys seem popular tonight.”_

_”Well_ _we can discuss popularity when you get over here and arrest whoever the hells braking vases at 4am.”_

_”We’re on our way sir”_

 

 

 

 

 

_Sunday, May 13 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_5:57 AM_

_”Hansdenshile Police Department, what’s your emergency?”_

_”U-um yes- hello? My name’s Romelle a-and I think something’s happening in the room next to me.”_

_”Can you describe what’s happening?”_

_I was just getting ready to drop my brother off at daycare, when I heard yelling and this guy yelling at someone “to shut the fuck up” really meanly. A-and I think someone’s getting hit?? Or beat up, I’m really scared can you please,please, ple a s e send a police officer over!”_

_”Well be there immediately. Please give us your address and the number of the apartment next to you.”_

_”My place is Everglade Woods Apartments, and the address is 55323 Eighth Avenue. The apartment next to me is 426”_

_”Hang tight ma’am, we’ll be there shortly”_

 

 

 

 

 

_————————————————————_

_Tuesday, June 27th 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_Angel’s Bridge Help center_

_4:40 PM_

 

Lance’s skin was itchy.

It was always itchy. Especially nowadays. The doctor said picking at the cuts would leave marks, cause them to heal slower and maybe even cause an infection to set in, but he couldn’t resist it. The constant burn and was infuriating and changing th bandages only added a quick relief before the small stings started to grow, until it became unbearable.

He’d start the think the constant itching was the infection.

”Lance are you listening to me?”

Yes he had at first, but then his mind started to wonder. Where you ask he couldn’t tell you.  But escaping within his mind provided a break. A little refresher. It was like studying all day then talking a small walk around your neighborhood. It was a nice breather once in a while.

”Yes Allura I was listening”

”Really?” She leaned forward on her hands “Then what did I just say?”

Lance looked around the room “Something about.... positivity? Managaing..myself...?” 

“Lunch lance, I was asking you did you eat lunch today.” 

“I was close”

”Lance” she started, giving him a concerning look “don’t walk away when I’m talking to you”

”But I’ve been here the entire time Allura-“

”That’s not what I meant and you know it”

He does know what she means, and it’s not up and leaving mid-conversation, it’s not physical- it’s purely mental. Walking away from whatever’s in front of you and disappearing in your thoughts. Pacing back and forth between them. Aimlessly wondering until you’ve reached we’re you started in the begining.

He knows that kind of walking away all to well.

“Lance I’m trying to help you— we’re trying to help you! You have to tell us what you’re thinking so we can make sure you’re alright.”

”I’m not thinking anything Allura, it’s just-“

”Just what?”

”I’m scared” he said small with his head held down. He’s ashamed of his feeling, ashamed of what he’s confessing. Even after all these people have tried to help him he still can’t get his shit together.

_What a fucking failure._

”I’m sc-scared” Choking out the scared part, he felt hot tears roll down his face. Getting all over the underside of his chin and neck.

” I try to follow what you said a-and” He’s fucking crying!  _Why the fuck are you crying lance?_

“Every where I go I feel like he might there!” And I- I know that’s not rational! And its stupid but I can’t NOT think it!”

_Why are my hands shaking??_

“It’s like I’m being followed and I don’t know what to do and I don’t want to go outside and my-“

_Stop shaking_

“my-my hands and wrist are always itching! And I just wanna fucking cut them off sometimes and it’s like the itch won’t gonaway and my face and body feels like it’s on  _fire—”_

_Stop Shaking_

And I just want it to stop!andIt never stops and it never stopsandit  _n e ver stops!!”_

_StOP SHAKIN-_

 

**“LANCE”**

He heard someone call his name. But he couldn’t focus. It seemed like everything was out of touch. Like someone kicked the TV to hard and now it’s all static-y. You can kinda hear what’s on, but the screens all blurry and it keeps glitching out.

Allura grabbed his arms and pulled him into a tight hug. 

He vaguley felt her arms around him. His mind shutting on and off. It felt like the ocean was in his ears. All his senses were flooded and he felt like he was watching from a distance. Watching as Allura held him like a baby, as his dazed face tried to make sense of everything.

He knows what’s wrong with him. What’s holding him back from getting better, what his mind thinks about at night when the day is done and there’s nothing left to think about. What he needs the least but hopes for the most. 

He wants to go back to him. 

 

He misses him.

 

—————————————————————

_Tuesday, June 27 20XX_

_Angel’s Bridge Help Center: Personal Help and Session Center_

 

Keith wanted to go home.

He had been here for an hour, going on two and it was driving him insane. 

He didn’t need this.

He may not be the fucking model Samaritan but he certainly didn’t deserve wasting an hour of his life talking out his feeling like he was at a middle school slumber party.

He certainly didn’t need to do this 4 times a week either.

_God, just let this be over._

”Keith hasn’t had a turn yet, let’s let him have the floor for a while.”

_Fuck._

”Hey Shay” Keith said in a monotone voice. Not looking at her at all and slouching in his chair.

”So keith” She continued with a smile not put off at all by Keith’s rude attitude “You haven’t gone in a while, can you tell us how things have been the past week? 

“Fine” Curt and to the point. Don’t need to tell them what they don’t need to know.

”Just fine?” She questioned.

”Yep, just fine” He gritted out.

”Are you sure? Because if anything happened to you good or bad we would love for you to shar-“

”Jesus fucking Christ! If I say I’m fine then I’m  _fine!”_

_Shit._

 

Everyone was looking at him.

”What the fuck man!? I don’t wanna be here either but you don’t have to be bitch about it!” Someone yelled at him. It was the guy in front of him, his name was Morvik or some shit like that.

Keith did  _not_ want to deal with this today.

He was starting to grow madder by the second. He knows this feeling all to well. It gets bigger and bigger until he has to release it. Until he yells and acts until this monster inside him is gone. It’s like an itch he can’t scratch.

He  _needs_ to get rid of it.

“Fuck off Mordick, don’t think your so high and mighty just cause you come here every and cry out a sob story every 2 days. We all know you fucking beat your sister into the damn ground.”

“Keith!” Shay says loudly. As if thats going to stop him.

Morvok retaliated just as fast ”Listen here Kogane, we may not not what the hell you did, but it has to be pretty bad if your here almost 5 days a week.”

Now that got to him.

Keith got up out of his chair and faced Morvok, anger growing and face getting redder by the second. “If you’ve got a fucking problem with me, stop being a pussy and say it to my face!!

”Can you guys shut the fuck up??!”

”How about YOU shut the fuck up!”

In about two seconds it became an uproar. People getting out of the chairs, yelling obscenities and shoving at each other. And Keith was dead in the center about to give Morvok a good fist to face when Shay yelled out:

“ENOUGH!” 

They all stopped their fighting immediately. Shocked over the quiet girls  yelling, This was the loudest her voice had ever got and it certainly got everyone’s attention.

They all watched as she learned over to the security guard and whispered something in his ear. He walked over to the door and stood there as she gathered up her papers and pushed her hair twist out of her face.

She sat up straight in her chair trying to look as authoritative as possible.

”This session is dismissed for the day. Everyone you can go ahead and leave make sure you take all your stuff with you.”

At that everyone began filling out, grumbling under their breath, keith was almost out the door when Shay called him out. 

“Morvok wait outside I need to talk to you and Keith could you stay here for a minute, I need to talk to you but I have to put these papers up.”

_Oh shit._

_Of course she’d want to speak with you, after that fucking riot you started halfway during session._

He watched as Morvok took a seat on the bench outside and returned to his original seat in the circle of chairs and sat down. The seat he waste at least 8 hours a week in.

At least they have little cushions on them and are decently comfortable. Shay is gone for about 20 minutes before she comes back and let’s The security guard know they need privacy. After he steps out she closes the door behinds him and sits down in front of keith. He hands are folded and she looks directly in his eyes.

_It’s actually kind of intimidating._

Shay looked at him disappointingly a frown gracing her young features ”You know what you did was completely unacceptable keith.” 

He rubbed a hand to his face out of irritation.

”I don’t need to hear this from you, Shay, we’ve had this talk before-“

”And it seems we need to have it again.”

They stared at each other. Waiting to see what the other person would say. Keith decided to give in first. 

“What are you gonna do call Shiro? I’m not a 12 year old in middle school hat just punched a classmate. You can’t call him every time I don’t want to talk about my life story.”

The quiet girl learned over, concerned for him but yet still being firm.

”It’s not about that and you know it” The quiet girl said her voice taking on a slightly angry edge. “It’s about you getting hostile with other members, and causing a ruckus in what’s supposed to be a safe place-“

 _”Safe place_ my ass!” Morvok came after me first-“

”And you chose to retaliate. Nobody told you to respond or retaliate but you did. This support group is supposed to teach you self control but obviously you’ve been doing everything but that-“ 

“You sound like my fucking 9th grade counselor” Keith snarked back flipping in his chair and crossing his arms “just go ahead and call Shiro about my  _behavior_ so I can get the hell out of here!”

”No” Shay said in the calmest voice possible. “I’m not gonna call Shiro”

”Then who the hell are you-“

”I’m calling your parole officer”

 _”WHAT”_ Keith’s eyes got wide as he stood out of his seat. “ You can’t call Kolivan!” He’ll have my head if you let him know what happened!”

”I’m supposed to call him anytime I feel as though your not sticking to the probation agreements. And the stunt you pulled today obviously tells me that your not making any improvement and have no intent to.”

”I’m trying my hardest-“

”No your not keith-“

”So at first me coming to this hellhole was enough, and now me sharing my feelings isn’t enough for people?! Can you stop babying me and tell my what you  _really_ want to say!!-“

” Do you want me to be honest with you keith, tell you what I really want to tell you?” Shay stares him dead in the eyes.

”Yes” Keith said without a second thought. “Tell me”

Shay got a little closer facing him straight on “Your considered a public danger keith. To society and to yourself. You’ve had 3 parole officers in your early teens and the incident a month ago only worsened that.”

Keith turned his eyes away angered and ashamed.

“Your angry, your upset over what happened and that’s completely understandable. What’s not understandable is you taking that anger out on people who can’t control the situation. This is your last option before they arrest you Kogane. Get.your.shit.together”

Keith held his head down letting Shay’s words sink into him.

_This is the last option before they arrest you._

“You can leave now, and when you head out tell Morvok I need to speak with him too.”

Before keith could even move Shay grabbed his hand a took on a soft tone with him.

”Please think about what I said Keith, it may not seem like, but we’re all concerned for your wellbeing.”

The Asian boy frowned as these words replayed in his head.

”Please think about what I told you.”

And at that Keith got up scooting his chair as he stood and walked out the door. He let Morvok know he was needed and headed outside where the outside waiting area is. He sat down and pulled out his phone.

—————————————————————

_Sunday, June 27, 20XX_

_5:57 PM_

_Angel’s Bridge: Outside Waiting room and Garden Area_

 

Lilbrobro

Hey, shiro im done with support group. Im waiting in the outside area at the D building. 

Spacefather

Ill be there in 15 minutes

Lilbrobro

k

Keith put his phone up and sat in there, waiting for shiro. He started looking around, just passing time when he noticed someone.

It was a boy with light brown skin, and dark wavy hair. He was wearing a oversized blue sweatshirt that said  _Bonitó_ on it, and had some kind of purple ice cream earrings in his ears. And he had some light freckles on his face. He was also watering the plants around the outside area and seemed to focus heavily on the giant sunflowers in the front row.

_He’s kinda cute._

Keith continued staring until he noticed his eyes were bloodshot red.

_Of course their fucking red. We’re at a help center for fucks sake. The guys probably a drug addict or cuts himself. Some sad shit like that._

_He probably would never date him but he’d would fuck him. Keith could never hold a relationship, people always bringing their fucking baggage along the way. He’s more of a mindless fuck one-night-stand kinda guy. He can release some anger and never see the person again._

Keith continued circling through thoughts in his head until he heard the tell tale beep from Shiro’s car. He took one last look at the cute boy and then headed around to the car park we’re Shito was located. He noticed Shiro turned down the radio as he got settled in. He turned his head looking out the window as shiro pulled into the interstate. 

It was relatively quiet and until Shiro coughed loudly to get his attention. 

“So” he started, sounding a little bit unsure, “how was session today?”

”Same old same old” Keith was looking down at his phone to avoid having to look at his older brother.

”So, nothing interesting?” Shiro tried. “So I’m not gonna get a call from Shay or Kolivan anytime soon?”

”Nope” 

“Well... that’s good. I know you don’t want to this but it’s good your making an effort.”

” Yea” he muttered mindlessly. 

It was silent in the car after that. The boy turned his head back to the window, watching the sun go down steadily as the sky was an orange-reddish tone. Letting Shay’s thoughts run through his head Some more.

_Get your shit together._

 

 


	2. Hydrangea Highway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith’s probabtion is in danger and Shay has a solution. Allura and lance have a come to Jesus meeting and she has a surprise for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have a lot of things  
> 1.) Me and my family have just moved into an apartment and things are xtremely hectic. 
> 
> 2.) I start school next Monday and the upload schedule is not stable right now.
> 
> 3.) as of now the “upload schedule” is between 3 days and 1-week.

 

  

_“You know I love you right?”_

_He looks up at him with wide scared eyes, holding back the onset of tears, heb hates it when he cries._

_“I know dear, I know you love me.”_

_He feels a hand gently caress his face, starting from his ear all the way down to his chin._

_He smiles down back at him. “Good baby, as long as you know, I don’t do this to hurt you, I do this because I want to protect you. I need you to understand that.” He always says that._

_“This is the only way I can make you understand.”_

_He feels the hand leave his face and grab his fingers, kissing the tips of them all at once._

_“I could never stop loving you.” He feels him press kisses around the bandaids on them, grabbing Lance’s hand so he can get better access._

_Lotor moves from his hands and grips his forearms, pressing down hard on the bandages wrapped around there. Looking straight at him with a crazed— albeit lovesickexpression._

_“And as long as you continue to love me” he gets closer, leaning forward so that his entire body is closer, until Lance can feel the hot breath in his ear._

_“I’ll be good to you, I’ll get you whatever you want, love you whenever you like.” He feels a harsh squeeze on his on forearms._

_“Can we do that? Can you be good for me baby?”_

_He doesn’t really have a choice. If he says no, there’s no telling what would happen to him. What he’ll do._

_But lance is smart enough to know he doesn’t have a choice to begin with.”_

_The Cuban boy nods frantically at his question, and quietly releases a sigh of relief when his boyfriend smiles at him. Taking him into his arms and cradling him like a crying child. Humming while petting his head, smoothing down the hair at the top._

_It’s warm._

_It’s relaxing._

_This will be fine, everything will be fine, as long as he eats out of his boyfriends hand, everything will be just alright._

_They’ll be just fine._

 

 

 

 

_He’ll_ _be_ _just_ _fine_.

 

 

 

—————————————————————

 

 

 

_Thursday, June 29, 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_5:29 PM_

Walking home is always relaxing. Especially in the late afternoon, and on the days hedoesn’t have therapy, he chooses to do more relaxing activities like studying all his garden and astronomy books.

Maybe he’ll just hit up the library or have a muffin at Shay’s bakery and just talk about life when she’s on break.

Or go down to the gardening store and looking for sales on supplies, flowers, whatever he could find. He found some hydrangea seeds on sale today. _Maybe he’ll plant those in between his sunflowers and petunias._

The doctor said doing light activities would be good for his body, Allura said going out and doing things is good for the mind. A change of scenery is good for stimulation, and is a nice mental refresher.

_He_ _likes_ _to_ _think_ _he’s_ _killing_ _two_ _birds_ _with_ _one_ _stone_.

As lance is walking he notices a car in the distance. Slowly trialing behind him as he’s walking. Lance noticed this and starts walking a little faster. Quicking his pace until he’s between a speed-walk and a half-jog. His breath shallowing as he’s near running. This feels all to familiar.

_He’d always send people to watch over me._

Lance tries to catch his breath as he’s almost at the crosswalk between the surrounding neighborhood and the entry into his apartment complex. The lights almost green, his leg is shaking.

_C’mon_ , _C’mon_.

The boy turns his head, and nearly has a heart attack as the car slows down and completely stops in front of him. _This is it, this is it even after a month he still send his friends out to—_

“Hey Lance, how are you doing?”

And it’s just Shiro. The police officer that’s constantly monitoring this side of town and seems to know just about everybody.

“I-uh, I’m fine” lance releases a sigh. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”

“Well I can see why, you seem to be having quite the run over there.”

Lance releases a small laugh, “your the one trailing me with your car, you _weirdo”_

Shiro smiled, leaning his head out the window a bit “ I was trying to ask you a question, but you and your gardening tools seemed to want to outrun me, I was only trying to catch up.”

Lance returned his smile, swinging the bag back in forth in his hands “Well me and my hydrangeas have places to be.”

Shiro gestured his thumb to the police car.

“Well, speedy gonzales, I was gonna ask if you need a lift to your apartment.”

Lance gave him a confused look tilting his head. “Why would I need a lift? My house is only a 20 minute more walk”

Shiro’s face took on a somewhat serious expression

“If you missed the bus, you don’t need to walk, I can drive you home. You know the rules Lance.”

“I’m completely within the rules Shiro, it’s only 5:47-“

“That’s too close to 6 and I don’t see anyone else with you.”

“I don’t need anyone else with me, I’m perfectly capable of going out by myself, besides Allura said getting out of the house is good for me-“

“It’s good for you when it’s within your terms and within the terms of the city.”

Lance turned away, getting angry “I’m not getting in the car Shiro”

“Lance if you don’t get in this car, I’m going to call someone to come and get you instead”

_If you don’t get in this car I’m going to make sure I never have to ask you again._

“You can call whoever the _hell_ you want to call.”

“ _Lance_ ”

They turned and stared at each other, mad expression gracing both their features. They stared at each other for about 5 minutes. Lance was the first to budge and climbed in the back of the car, slamming the car door and throwing his stuff on the seat next to him.

Shiro sighed “thank you lance” and started to drive the car toward the entrance to the complex.

The car was silent, lance looking down at the floor while Shiro was hesitant to break the silence.

“ _Lance_ ” shiro called grabbing his attention,

making sure the boy was listening by looking at him through the mirror “I know what you’re thinking, but we’re not trying to hurt you or get on your nerves, we’re just doing this to protect you.”

The tanned boy did it look up from the window, he slowly nodded “Mhmmm, I know Shiro.”

“You’re not a burden either, we’re all looking out for you and we want you to be safe. You just have to help us help you.” His tone was extremely calm.

“I’m trying Shiro, I really am.”

“I know Lance, you don’t have to explain yourself-“

“Yes I do” he moved his head from the window, holding it down so Shiro wouldn’t see his somewhat glassy about-to-cry eyes.

“I want people to be proud of me” he’s able to hold them back, just a little bit longer. “I want to improve, I want to laugh and smile and be loud. I want to go out my house without being scared, I want to wear small sleeve shirts without people asking questions. I want to do all of that.” His voice was incredibly small. Mumbling out the last bit.

Shiro doesn’t say anything, Lance takes this as a sign to continue.

“I want to get better for me; for my family. I don’t want everyone to get stuck being my cheerleader for _every_ _single_ _thing_.”

Lance doesn’t say anything else, and hopes Shiro recognizes this as a sign he’s done talking. As they pull into the driveway, he goes to leave and notices the door is locked. He starts to panic, this being all too familiar and wonders if Shiro is gonna let him out.

_If he’s gonna get in trouble again._

Shiro lets out a breath, and releases his knuckle tight grip on the steering wheel.

The police officer turns around to face him, having a deadly serious facial expression “I don’t think your a burden at all, and I don’t care if it bothers you or anyone else, but we’re gonna cheer you on, and help you get through this. We all want to see you safe Lance, even if it takes a lifetime.”

Lance doesn’t say anything. He just smiles and nods his head. Tears slowly dripping as he tightens his hold on the gardening tools.

Shiro’s not finished though “ I don’t care if you call me 20 times a day, if something happens you dial that number I gave you. _Understood_?”

The tall boy nods his head “Yes, I’ll remember to call it Officer Shirogon-“

“What did I say about that Lance?”

He rolls his eyes, a smirk coming across his face. “Yes, _Shiro_ I’ll call, but don’t expect much,”

Shiro returns his smile, eyes softening at lance “that’s just fine Lance, just hearing you say you’ll call me is enough.”

Lance climbed out of the car and started to walk away turning back to wave to shiro. He noticed the Asian man didn’t leave until he went up the stairs to his apartment door. He put in the key code and went inside.

_What_ _the_ _hell_ _is_ _that_ _smell_!?

“What smells like hot ass and mozzarella?!” Lance yelled. He sat his shopping bag down on the corner table and held his hand in front of his nose tying to block out the stench. Jesus Christ, people say they can fuck it up in the kitchen, but not like _this_.

“Hey lance c-can you wait just a minute? I think I left the stovetop on for too long.”

He regonized that high pitched voice anywhere. Low and behold it was his little shit of a roommate pidge. She’s an amazing coder and an incredible tech engineer, but shit when it came to basic human survival.

As he turned and went into the kitchen, he releasing there was smoke coming from a giant red pot, and that his roommate had tomato sauce on her green skater dress, flailing a oven mit in a desperate attempt to bat out the smoke as the fire alarm was blaring.

“ _PIDGE_! pour water on it it’s gonna catch on fire!”

“Lance I know what I’m doing it’s fine! “

“It’s fine? the fucking macaroni is gonna _catch_ _on_ _fire_!”

“It’s not macaroni it’s-

 

_**!BLAM!** _

 

In her effort to bat out the smoke, The small girl knocked the pot off the countertop on the floor, and instead of macaroni spilling, it was a hard pitch black shell of _something_.

 

“Lasagna. I was trying to make Lasagna”

“Why the _fuck_ are you putting macaroni shells in lasagna?”

“Cause, Hunks gone out, and you weren’t here so I just wasn’t gonna starve to death”

The Cuban boy gave her an incredulous look, cocking his eyebrow “So instead of ordering takeout you decided to do the thing you hate doing the most and cook?”

Pidge gulped and nodded her head “yea... uh but now that I think about it that wasn’t a good idea”

“How about this?” Lance moved pidge until she was sitting in a chair and grabbed her he broom from next to the fridge. “You sit down and order takeout from the Indian place down the street and I clean up..... whatever the hell you called yourself making. Alright?”

Pidge nodded, grabbing her phone. ” _Alright_.”

 

—————————————————————

_Thursday, June 29 , 20XX_

_7:35 PM_

“So,” lance started taking bites of his orange chicken “why isn’t hunk here? I thought he said he had a paper for Iverson to work on?”

“He did, but Shay has had hell at that Angel’s place so hunk wanted to take them both out for a treat at that new Retro-themed dinner place on 10th”

“Ok..... but why are you here? I thought you were gonna go help Matt down at the lab?”

Pidge bit her bottom lip, eyes wondering to the side for a just a split second before she spoke “I was, but I decided against it, had some homework I could finish instead”

“But you ......you could’ve just finished it at the lab, while helping Matt.” She didn’t respond to that, just continued eating as if lance hadn’t said anything.

“ _Pidge_ ” Lance called out a little bit louder getting her attention. “Don’t stop living because of me, I’ll be fine by myself”

“I’m not stopping I’m just..... taking a break.”

“When have you ever been known to take a break?” _He_ _was making his friends suffer, causing them to give up their lives so that they have to be stuck here babying him._

_He’s always causing people nothing but pain._

Pidge slammed her hands down on the table, scaring lance, causing him to jump and look straight ahead. Standing there was his roommate, hands balled into fist, hanging her head.

“Your not stopping anyone from living. We know what we signed up for when we took you in. We didn’t do it because of any obligation, we did it because we love you.We want what’s best for you!”

Lance started to sniffle. He felt like crying. He was always crying nowadays. Like his eyes are filled to the brim and he has to release them every chance he gets.

“I know you love me, but you don’t need to stay here because of me. I’ll be fine on my own-“

“Your episodes are getting worse Lance and you know that. You told us you had one at therapy, and then you had one last night.”

“Those weren’t episodes! I just feel sick sometimes. It’s... just something that happens.... I _swear_.”

He feels the telltale feeling of hot tears streaming down his face. He breath hiccuping. Pidge is mad at him. Why wouldn’t she be? He’s incapable for taking care of himself. _Of_ _course_ she would be fucking tired of _this_. Tired of _him_.

_He’s tired of himself. Of wasting everyone’s time of being a waste of time._

“Why...” He looked up bright blue eyes puffy red and filled with tears. Coming down one after another. “ Why were you cooking? Was it because I forgot to make some food yesterday. Cause I understand if it something I-“

“It wasn’t because of anything you did” pidge cut him off closing her eyes and letting out a. breath.

“It’s because I haven’t seen you eat anything in a while. And whenever you do get food you push it around your plate and only take cat bites, barley even eating.”

_If you eat anything off that plate, I’ll make sure your mouth stays shut for as long as I want._

He took his plastic fork and sat it on the table, looking down shamefully at his barley touched takeout box.

“I’m going to bed” Pidge started walking but stopped beside him. Looking straight ahead, her tone a mixture of anger and concern.

“We want you to get better lance. Everyone wants you to get better. But you have to want that for yourself too.”

He watched her back retreat into into her room. Slamming the door shut. He put his head on his hand. His face dry and irritated from the constant crying.

The room was silent, cicadas screaming in the distance, the kitchen light flickering, his sunflower taking on a pasty yellow from the harsh lighting. I though about everything. About what pidge said, his family, his friends, Him. How he _felt_ when he was wrapped around his arms. How the lips felt on his _neck_...

 

! _**STOP**_ \- _don’t_ _think_ _about_ _him_!

 

He presses his fingers into his palms. He feels the edges of his episode coming on.

He closes his eyes. He can feel him in the room sitting across from him. He knows he not there but he can _feel_ it. Can feel the man looking at him in shame. He opens his eyes and stands up. Catching a glimpse of his old lover as he runs to the bathrooms and splashed water on his face. Frantically rubbing at his eyelids. Until they were swole and red from the harsh treatment.

He slid down to the bathroom floor, breathing heavily, his nose stuffed and his heart hammering in his chest.

He though about what pidge said.

 

What they wanted for him

 

 

 

 

 

_What did he want?_

 

 

_He_ _doesn’t_ _know_ _what_ _he_ _wants_ _anymore_. 

 

 

 

 

————————————————————-

_Thursday, June 29 20XX_

_7:45 PM_

“Your back late.”

Shiro put his jacket on the hook, sliding off his shoes and putting them on the shoe rack. Talking as he slid on his house slippers. “ I was as dropping a friend off at their house. It’s was getting dark out and he lived pretty far.”

“Hmmp” Keith grunted barely paying attention to what shiro was saying.

The older man walked into the living room and sat down in the chair near the sofa keith was sitting on. He gathered up some courage and a stern face, folding his hands hand decided to start.

“So I got a call from Kolivan yesterday.”

Keith was sitting on the sofa reading, A Brief History of Time if you will. Just cause Hawking is dead, but that doesn’t mean Keith’s love for astronomy has to die to.

“Oh yea?” Keith didn’t even look at his older brother, just continued flipping one page after the other “Bout what?”

“That’s what I want you to tell me” Keith could feel his older brother about to scold him. Could see it on the tip of his tongue.

“He said that Shay called him and said you were still having problems with disrupting session.”

“To be fair-“ The younger Asian held up a hand as to placate his brother “Someone came after me first. It was pure self defense”

“Keith I though you were making an effort-“

“I was— I am _making_ _an_ _effort_.” He said the last part through gritted teeth.

Shiro looked at him disappointingly, already beginning to scold him “So starting schoolyard riots is your example of making an effort? Of _improving_?”

God couldn’t anyone leave him alone. He didn’t care about improving or any of that bullshit the court was talking about. He just wants to stick out his probation for the next 6 months so he fuck off from his brothers apartment.

“Can you just fuck off and let me read!?”

“ _Don’t_ _use_ _that_ _language_ _with_ _me_ _keith_!”

“ _ **I’M NOT USING ANY FUCKING LANGUAGE WITH ANYONE!”**_ He slammed his book down and stood up, his face a light red from yelling and his bangs getting messy.

He walked across the living room, knocking over a vase and yanked his keys out the bowl.

“ I’m heading out, don’t call my phone, and _**Don’t**_ go fucking looking for me.”

“Keith you better not leave it’s against your pro-“

His younger brother shot him the middle finger “ _Piss_ _off_ , shiro go fuck your boyfriend in the cop car and get a life!” And slammed the door extremely hard, causing a picture to fall of the wall and break.

Shiro stood in the middle of the room, the vase near the door wasn’t broke, but the flowers were crushed and the dirt was spilt all over the kitchen tile.

He walked over to the picture that fell down. It was an old one from when Keith was about 12. It was his first day of middle school. Both of them standing in the front of the building, keith in his orange blazer and white tie, along with his orange and white patterned slacks and black shoes.

Next to him was Shiro, standing in a professional business suit, smiling proudly. Keith wanted them to take a Japanese-style first day of school picture.

Shiro smiles fondly how scared and excited keith was for his first day. How innocent everything was.

 

_How he was before the problems started happening._

 

He solemnly grabbed a broom and begun sweeping the glass into a pile.

 

 

—————————————————————

_Friday, June 30th 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_Angel’s Bridge Help center: PhycologicalCounseling and Domestic Abuse Rehabilitation Center_

_3:23 PM_

“While were here I want to talk about your plans for the rest of the summer.” Allura had her clipboard, her pink coffin shaped nails occasionally clacking against the metal as she wrote. She looked up at him, giving him a gentle almost motherly look. Her voice calm and steady as she patiently waited for Lance’s answers and questions.

Sometimes his sessions were almost nerve-wracking, causing him to overthink everything he said, Allura always manages to calm him down and get him to think clearly.

“Well besides, staying at home, gardening and reading I don’t really have any plans.” It was sad but true, he couldn’t go back to school until early January and couldn’t live by himself. He had no way around it and no matter what he told the doctor, Allura and the detective he couldn’t find a way around it.

“What about your roommates, Pidge and Hunk? Surely you have plans with them?”

The boy smiles and shakes his head “Pidge is going all the way down to Arizona to help at her dadstech lab, and Hunks going back to Samoa to visit his family. I couldn’t bother them.”

_I couldn’t burden them more than I already do._

Allura wrote down something on the pink metallic clipboard, and then resumed her questioning “What about your medicine? Have the pills been working?

Lance grimaced “The pills..... have been doing there job, but I’m still have nightmares and episodes and hallucinations. And sometimes they interfere with my ADHD meds and I get..really, _really_ sick.”

Allura looked at the young boy with heavy concern. As a patient and as a friend. She fears for his life and his safety. She writes down something else and looks up at him.

“What about your family? You said your parents owned a sunflower farm up in Oregon. Have you thought about visiting them?”

Lance kept quiet and just shrugged his shoulders.

The older woman leaned in to lance, putting a gentle hand on his, setting her clipboard down on the table between them.

“Lance, listen to me. I’m talking to you as a patient and as a friend. Your not improving at the rate I would like for you to be. It won’t be better as soon as possible. It may not be better. Not in a day, a week, a month; maybe not even a year. But you have to take baby steps.”

Allura squeezed Lance’s hand, Brown eyes looking into blue ones. She wondered what was going on behind them. What caused him to be the way he was. What cause him so much pain and suffering.

“Lance I need you to tell me the truth. I don’t need you to walk away”

He nodded m, at least letting her know he’s still mentally present.

“Have you stoppedtaking your medications?”

“Yes”

“Why?”

Lance seemed to contemplate for a minute, letting his eyes wander to the side as he mumbled something incoherent.

“What was that Lance? Please spe-“

“They stopped working. The medication I’ve been taking since I was 14 has stopped working. It interferes with my other medications and is completely useless.”

“Is it the Risperdal?”

“Yea, it is.”

“Hmmmm, figures. I see” Allura thought this over as she took out a sheet of paper wrote some stuff on it. She then immediately got up ,got on her computer and printed out about some forms. Bustling around her office desk. After that she went over to a file cabinet and started pulling out more papers; until she had accumulated a giant stack.

Confused on what Allura was doing he tried to interrupt. “Um... Allura it’s no problem. I’ll just keep taking them if it’s-“

The older woman put a finger up to her mouth “Hush baby, I’m busy” He. loses his mouth.

She walked around lance grabbing papers and printouts, totally ignoring his confused expression as she seemed to be invested in whatever she was doing. She took the giant stack of papers in her hand and shoved them into a yellow folder, them immediately sat back down in the seat in front of him.

“Alright Lancey, Listen closely because I have come to a conclusion.”

The younger boy looked completely focused, his eyebrows furrowing. Allura thought is was adorable.

“Your medicines not working correct? I’ve written you a prescription for IIoperidone-Fanapt. One of the strongest medications out there. Take that to your doctor ASAP so he can approve it and fill the prescription out. the dose might be little but the actual pill should work-minus some expected side effects.”

Lance nodded taking all the information in.

“As for your summer living situation. I printed out to bus tickets for Diminus City, Oregon.”

That really woke Lance up “ What’s the bus tickets for? I’m kinda confused Allura-“.

“What you need is your family, familiar surroundings can help stabilize you mentally, and can also help ground you when you feel overstimulated”

Lance’s eyes widened when he realized what Allura was doing. “Allura you cant do this!” It’s to much! I’m just a patient— not a good one if I can’t even take my meds-“

She shushed him. “I’m just doing my job as a doctor. I’m doing what’s best for my patients and if you need somewhere to be while you recover then I’ll make sure I get that for you and beyond.”

Lance’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, looking for a reason as to why this is a bad idea. Allura May be his therapist, but even the most professional people need some talking sense to.

“Don’t even try to talk me out of this lance.” Did she read minds!? How did she know? “ I want to do this. Seeing you happy is my number one priority, and I know you’ll be safe. It’s a win-win situation for everyone”

The younger boy just sat there confused. Wondering what the hell was happening?

“Now” Allura was practically beaming. She clapped her hands together, signaling the end of their conversation. “Some of those papers need to go down to the office center to be filled out.”

“W-Why?”

“It’s just protocol. You have to sign a form saying you’ll be out of the city and that your rehabilitation and counseling will be resumed when you return. Just legal nonsense nothing too serious.”

Lance just sat there. Millions of emotions going through him. Fear, excitement, confusion. But one main thought had swamped through his head.

After the incident, after all the awful, _awful_ things that happened. He’ll finally be able to go home.

 

 

**—** ————————————————————

 

 

_Friday, June 30th 20XX_

_4:15 PM_

_Angel’s Bridge: Office And information Center._

Keith was picking at his jacket. Waiting for his turn.

It had been 3 days after the “ _incident_ ” as Shiro insisted on calling it, and had gotten a call from the office director that Keith was needed.

And here he was, sitting in a pastel yellow chair, next to him was a young girl snd what Keith assumed was her mother. The girl looked pretty normal despite the fact her left ear was heavily disfigured and she had a humongous bandaid on it.

She was bouncing in her seat, he mother trying to calm down. Signing to her, the young girl nodded and stopped kicking. Folding her hands in her lap.

He noticed a decorated potted plant in the corner. It was filled with what he assumed were hydrangeas. The bright purple of the flower a stark contrast against the soft aqua green of the walls.

Keith looked around the area some more and saw a poster in front of him. It was a crying woman with a angry looking man standing behind her, his fist balled. Under it read: **HE WON’T STOP. IF YOU ARE IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP PLEASE CALL 1(800)-688-SAFE.**

_Well_ _at_ _least_ _it’s_ _straightforward_.

“Keith Kogane?” “Keith Kogane to the information center please.”

_Well_ _here_ _goes_ _nothing_.

He walked up the woman at the counter. She barely looked up from her computer as he made his way up.

“Um somebody called for me?”

“What’s your name?”

“Keith Kogane?”

Well that certainly got her attention. She immediately looked up and saw him. He was probably one of the worst people in this place, so of course his name would be notorious.

“Ah yes Keith.” She scrambles for her papers disparate to get him out of there. “Your wanted in room 107, it’s down the long hallway to the left.”

He nodded his thanks and left. As he got there he immediately noticed Shay sitting in her an office chair.

_Just fucking great. Exactly what he wanted. another scolding like a fucking 5 year old._

“Hello keith, please have a seat.”

He gave her a suspicious look. Walking over to the folding chair, slouching as he sought down. Not planning to even give the girl the littlest bit of respect.

“So keith how have you been?” Huh, formalities. Keith’s not having any of it.

“Cut the shit Shay, why am I here?”

Her smile immediately dropped.Turning into a tired scowl as she scooted back from him.

“I see, it was useless being polite to you anyway. But formalities aside, I bought you here to talk to you.

The Asian boy licked his lips in irritation. “Ya, no shit, Sherlock.”

“ _Keith_.”

“ _Shay_.”

She stared at him tired and irritated. He could tell this conversation isn’t going the way she planned it. Good. He hopes he crushes all her feeble expectations. Maybe finally get her so angry she explodes.

Then he’ll never have to come to this depressing as place again. He lives for getting reactions out of people. Egging people on until they just have to have it out with him. His therapist mentioned something about this, but he doesn’t remember. He stopped going to that bitch a long time ago.

Shay takes a deep breath. Calming herself and reiterating her words.

“Keith, we have been tracking your progress for the last month-“

“ _Wow_ , that’s kind of creepy-“

“ _Keith_. You have shown no improvement in the last month. You are still aggressive-“

“I call it assertive-“

“defensive-“

“I don’t need people all in my business-“

“ _and_ _completely_ _disrespectful_   _beyond_ _a_ _doubt_!”

Keith just looked at her with a devilish smirk. Laughing internally at her getting exasperated. He was enjoying his.

“Wipe that fucking smile off your face and _listen_ Kogane.”

“I’m all ears Shay.” He folded his hands and leaned in close obnoxiously smiling at her. She looked like she was about to explode.

“We don’t know what to do with you. There have been rumors that if I don’t help you they’ll end your rehabilitation and you won’t be allowed to attend session here anymore.”

“Well that’s a-okay with me-“

Shay turned to him looking tired and agitated “If we end your rehabilitation, then your probation will be cut short, you’ll skip your trial-“

“I don’t know if you know how to threaten people Shay, that all sounds good to me.”

“ _You’ll_ _go_ _to_ _jail_ _keith_. You will skip your trial and immediately serve the 9 years.”

Keith’s eyes widened comically. He didn’t know what to say. “ _Oh_.”

Shay turned from him gathering some documents from her desk. “Oh indeed. We have one option that can help you. But if you don’t agree, whatever happeneds, happens.

Keith thought and pondered his options carefully:

1.) Do whatever it is Shay says and have his probation lifted or suspended.

or

2.) Don’t do the task and get ass-raped in prison.

 

_Damn_ _this_ _seems_ _like_ _a_ _hard_ _decision_.

 

He slammed his hands down, alerting Shay looking a tad deranged and energized. “I’ll do it. Whatever it is I’ll do it. If it means my freedom then sure.”

The black girl smiled at him “Good, good. So me and the other psychs discussed this and we think we need to send you out on a public service mission-“

“ _**A**_ _**MISSION**_?”

“Stop yelling! Yes a mission-“

Keith gave her a shocked look, frantically waving his hands as he tried to make sense as to what Shay was saying.

“A _mission_! You mean community service, not getting paid, wasting my time mission? The kind of shit you send criminals and retards on! Do I look like any of those to you!”

She lifted a eyebrow, pursing her lips and looking at him up and down. “Do you want me to answer that question?”

“Shaaaay!” He rubbed his palms into his eyes. Irritated beyond belief. A misson. What the fuck did he do to deserve a mission? Christ! summer barely stared and it’s already fucking ruined. “Is there anything else you can do? Anything else?”

“Do you want a big black guy, to come behind you when you drop the soap?”

“I’d rather not- _anybody_ come behind me when I drop the soap-“

“Good, That settles it then. The mission is at a sunflower farm in Oregon.”

“ _Oregon_!?

“It’s no-where land so where long pants. Misqitoes are vicious. It’s an elderly couple. All their kids have moved out and only the young ones left. Help them garden, and do stuff. There old so they’ll definitely have task for you to do. It’s nice, quiet and most importantly _far_ _away_ _from_ _society_.”

The girl continued on pleased at seeing Keith’s distraught face. “It’s supposed to teach you self control, humility, and respect. Things I know you lack _heavily_.”

Shay handed him a stack of forms and a pen waving him out of the room. “Before you go to the mission, we need you to fill out some paperwork. Just legal stuff and all that Jazz. There’s also the time you have to be at the farm and a list of items you need to bring for the summer.

“Have fun on your first mission!”

Keith walked out of the room like a zombie, screaming internally at the fact he has to spend his whole summer planting a fucking garden with old people he doesn’t even know!

_A whole 2 months wasted on bullshit._

_Shiro and Kolivan are gonna have a field day._

As he made his way back to his waiting room seat to fill out the goddamn book Shay gave him, he noticed all the chairs where filled with people and that someone was sitting in his chair.

_It_ _was_ _the_ _cute_ _boy_ _from_ _last_ _time_.

He’s wearing a yellow and white baseball tee and has a yellow hair clip pinned in his hair. His lips are sparkly— is he wearing lipgloss? And the strangest would have to be that he was had on gumball machine earrings.

His nose was pointy and his lips were in a small pout. He looked nervous sitting in the seat. Holding on to the thick folder like a scared schoolgirl. He looked _absolutely_ _adorable_.

To bad Keith’s a fucking weirdo who doesn’t have a goddamn clue to do with attractive people. _Shy_ attractive people at that.

“Your in my seat.” He said in a monotone low voice.

The boy looked up at him, big blue eyes scared at the sudden intruder. “S-sorry” _How_ _cute_!

They stared at each other, the seconds dragging on making it more awkward.

“U-uhm” He sat up straight his hands begining to tremble. “Do-do you want me to move?”

_No_ _but_ _you can sit on my lap_.

“Yes. Get out of my seat. Before I move you myself.”

_Why are you being an asshole keith?_

The tanned boy recoiled I’m surprise his eyes getting watery. He gripped the folder tighter to his chest. “I’m s-sorry, I-I’ll move if you want me to.”

_Is_ _he_ _crying_?

_Shit_!

“Lance!” A woman called running down the hallway toward them “You left a paper in my office it’s very important that you-“

She walked into the scene and Keith realized this probably didn’t look good.

“Keith what are doing with lance?” She eyes the Asian boy wearily. Stepping closer to Lance’s seat.

“Lance?” _Who_ _the_ _hell_ _was_ _lance_?

“M-Me, that’s me I’m lance.” A meek voice called out. Keith was about to say something when Allura spoke up.

“Lance, honey I think Rizavi is ready for you in 112, you go on and get your stuff settled.” she gently pushed him towards the long hallway of doors.

Lance wiped his eyes, his nose sniffling. “Ok Allura, thanks for the paper.”

“No problem honey.” As lance turned to corridor, Allura turned to Keith her face settled in a deep, disgusted, scowl. “Listen here _Keith_ ,” She said his name like a disease. “I don’t know what you said to Lance, but don’t talk to him again. I’m glad your going on this mission, maybe then everyone here will finally get a piece of mind.”

As Allura walked off angrily, keith sat down in his chair and began filing out his paperwork.

So, the cute boy is now completely scared of him, he might get fucking arrested, and he’s gonna spend his whole summer on a mission of all things.

 

_It couldn’t get any worse than this._

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Oregon town is based off an actual town with only 10,000 people. points to who can guess. 
> 
> Keith is an asshole but, he will learn don’t worry. 
> 
> Risperdal is an antipsychotic. 
> 
> Tags will change.


	3. Carnations Cave the Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith prepare for the summer. Keith and shiro have a heart to heart. And strange dreams occur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this might be the last chapter I post for a while since my school starts this Monday.
> 
> They will definitely meet next chapter and we will get to see the sunflower farm. Just be patient. 
> 
> The songs are :  
> “Sunflower”-by Rex Orange County  
> “Petals”-by Burn Twins
> 
> I think these songs reflect the story very well and if you want to listen to them while reading go right ahead!
> 
> Also in my story, instead of Shiro being in his late 20s he’ll be in his late 30s early 40s, Yea I made him really fucking old. 
> 
> I also want to balance keith and Lance’s perspectives while balancing out characterizing on other characters. I would like some feedback on that and comments are heavily appreciated!

“ _Oh_ _my_ _god_ - _oh my-“_

_“There’s blood! somebody call— pol—“_

_He just felt blind rage. Pure unfolded anger. His eyes were glistened over and he felt something in his hand. He gripped in tighter._

_it felt good. The handle carved by hand, painted black with grooves on the side. He ran his fingers over it._

_“ **Somebody** **cuff** **him**!!”_

_He felt arms around him. He took the object in his hand and began to swing. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Just knows that he has to do this._

_He’s doing it for everyone._

_People are screaming — why the fuck are they screaming?_

_He feels so out of control. His eyes feel boiled over and his blood feels hot._

_“ **Hansdenshile** **Police**! **We have a 217-“**_

_He likes to think what he did was justified— it is justified. Nobody else was going to do anything. He had to take it into his own hands._

_He took something in his hands alright._

_“ **I** **think** **he’s** **arm** -“_

_He was going to hurt people! What he did was vigilante justice, but the guy had it coming. It wasn’t his fault. If he would have just fucking did his job non of this would’ve happened!_

_“ **Multiple stab wounds I think-“**_

_Damn there’s even blood on the floor, it must’ve been a shit ton of blood if he keeps remembering this insignificant detail._

_Shiro will get him out of this, will pull him out and help him get through with this._

_He’ll be just fine._

_He doesn’t need college anyway._

_He just wants to wake up._

_Saturday, July 1st, 20XX_

_Hansdenshile, California_

_11:19 AM_

 

“So when are you gonna pack?”

“Never”

Keith was on his bed, scrolling though his phone. Nothing made him feel better than ironic hard-to-understand memes and guys shirtless. His mood would also improve, if his brother would let him be!

“Keith I’m being serious.”

The younger Asian slightly lifted his head off the pillow. “So am I! What if I just don’t go and spend the next two months in this bed.”

Shiro pursed his lips and lifted a eyebrow ” _Really_? Shay and Kolivan want pictures of your “community service”. How are you gonna pull that off?”

“‘Ion know?” Keith shrugged “Photoshop I guess?”

“Keith...” Shiro looked down thinking over his words. He has to be careful about this

 

It’s time for Dad™ Shiro to make an appearance.

 

“Keith” His tone was incredibly strict and stern. “Put down that phone and Listen to me. _Now_ ”

Keith just ignored him, not taking his older brother seriously. Expecting him to leave after getting tired of Keith’s insults and defensiveness.

“Oh, yea? and what are you gonna do about it?”

Shiro felt his eye twitch.

 

 _Patience_ _yields_ _focus. He repeated it like a mantra. The only consistent sane thing that kept him from killing a 14 year Keith._

_Patience yields focus._

 

“Keith, I’m telling you one last time. _Give_. _Me_. _The_. _Phone_.”

“ _Suck_. _My_. _Korean_. _Asshole_.”

 

 _Patience_ _**yields**_ _focus. Patience yields focus, Patience yields—_

 

_**Fuck** **it!**_

 

His older brother got up, and yanked the phone right out off Keith’s hands. Putting it in his back pocket and standing up straight.

Trying to appear more intimidating.

Keith started seeing red. _What_ _the f_ _ **UCK** **IS HIS PROBLEM?**_

Keith Lunged at shiro and started fighting at him, hitting and scratching him all over his face and chest, trying to reach for his pocket. “ **Give me my phone you stupid dick!!”**

“Keith-“

“You didn’t pay for that phone! **Give me back my shit!”**

Keith and shiro continued wrestling, grappling for control. It was a mess, Shiro held on to Keith’s left hand as his brother hit and slapped all over his brothers face. “ **HEY**! “K-Keith _calm_ _do_ -“

Shiro was trying to hold him back while moving his head. Doing his best to avoid Keith’s right hand.

The older man leaned his head to the side as Keith kicked at his legs and chest. He couldn’t control himself, he took his free hand and punched Shiro square in the Jaw. Hearing a sickening crack as he landed the hit.

Shiro kicked his brother off of him. Sending Keith flying across the floor. The older man stood up, his hair jostled with scratches on his face. The right side of jaw beginning to bruise. He was breathing heavily. A tired but angry look in his eyes.

“ _ **ENOUGH**_! I’m tired of this! I don’t know what to do with you Keith!” Shiro rubbed his hand over his face, cringing when he ran over a particularly rough scratch.

He breathed out, a tired scowl gracing his features. He was tired. So, _so_ Tired!

“Keith I love you, but I can’t deal with this anymore! We’ve tried _everything_ we can with you! B-but it’s not _working_. Shiro voices slightly cracked towards the ends.

Keith looked up eyes widening at his brother. While he was being angry and pigheaded, he realized that his brother was crying. What shiro was feeling wasn’t his anger, he wasn’t mad or infuriated like keith himself was.

He was heartbroken, absolutely and undeniably heatbroken and worried for his younger brother.

Shiro put his hands over his eyes. Everything in the room silent until his shoulders started bouncing up and down, the older man Silently sobbing. It got louder and louder as the minute went on. Until he slouched and slid down to the floor, releasing small whimpers as tears ran down his face.

He spoke with a pathetic tiredness. His voice small and worn out from yelling. “Keith, I love you , _so,so_   _so_ much. But I can’t keep doing this with you anymore.” His voice was raspy, eyes red as he rubbed his nose.

“Shiro...”

“You get mad at me. You leave the house without notice and I sometimes I have no idea where you are or when you’ll be back.”

A guilty look went across the younger boy’s eyes.

“Your 21 years old Keith. If you don’t understand your predicament, the situation your in; then you’ll never get it; And we can’t keep explaining it to you.”

Keith scooted closer to shiro lying his head in his older brothers lap. His eyes felt heavy but he wasn’t tired, he felt the foggy burn of holding them in. It made his eyelids _hurt_. <

He felt his brothers thick and calloused hands run through his hair. The fingers being as gentle as ever.

_He remembers this._

 

 _It_ _feels_ _like_ _his_ _childhood_.

 

Keith took a deep breath and relaxed into Shiro’s touch. Feeling a caring and fatherly aura wash over him as Shiro’s fingers continued methodically, going over all the harsh spots in his scalp.

 

Keith started crying.

 

Not full on sobbing like some would in a dramatic, obnoxious manner; but just normal crying. His tears feeling hot as they ran in streams down his face, it felt good to finally release them.

He felt his older brothers hands pet and rub the top of his head, attempting to console him.

That just made him more _guilty_ , and made his crying stronger.

 

He turned his face in Shiro’s lap, rubbing the tears on his old jeans, whimpering for god knows how long.

It was unusually quiet. Like the calm after the storm. His brother was repetitively petting and rubbing his hair. Like he was in a trance.

Shiro broke the silence first. Voice quiet as if he was afraid of hearing his own self speak.

“Was it something _I_ did?” He continued, looking down at Keith with a blank face, completely unreadable. “I made sure I feed you all the right foods, I came to all your school events, helped with everything I could.

 

Keith gripped Shiro’s pants tighter— like it was a lifeline.

“Is it my fault your so miserable?”

Keith thought about that statement and the fucking absurdity of it all. How _he’s_ the asshole, how he’s been a fucking problem child since he as 12, and how shiro has stuck with him through all of it. Defended him at _every_ parent-teacher meeting. Rescued him every time he got in trouble, picked him up from the police station _every_. _single_. _time_ he got arrested. Went from court trials to court trials like it was natural. Ran around like a chicken without a head for the entirety of Keith’s teen years just so he could keep food on the table and keep him out of prison.

Shiro wasted 13 fucking years of his life, raising keith as if he was his own kin, and never asked for anything in return. Only wishing for Keith’s happiness. For him to grow up and be safe, and comfortable and loved in the world.

_And Keith couldn’t even give him that._

Shiro found the silence miserable, fearing that it was his answer to the question. “That’s a selfish thing to ask. I’m sorry Keith I understa-“

“Shut up Shiro”

“O-okay”

Keith thinks shiro probably shut up because he didn’t want to start another argument, didn’t want to anger Keith further and put a strain on their already somewhat deteriorating relationship.

 

 _It_ _made_ _him_ _sick_ _to_ _his_ _stomach_.

 

“I’ll go”

Shiro stopped drumming his fingers through his hair. “What?”

The younger Asian looked up from Shiro’s lap, turning his head slightly to face him.

“I said _I’ll_ _go_. I’m probably gonna fucking hate it, and I’ll mostly likely be mean and rude as shit, but I’ll go.”

He saw Shiro smile, looking down on him as his got slightly watery. “Thank you keith.”

Keith huffed and turned over mumbling “yea whatever, it’s not even a big deal anyway.”

The silence returned but instead of being tense and awkward, it was more comfortable, calming. Settling over them like a cool wave or a slight breeze.

“You hit me pretty hard”

“Yea” Keith huffed out a laugh, “I did”

More silence.

“I remember when you hit that kid in seventh grade.”

Keith was bought out of his thoughts at Shiro’s statement. Turning to face him with a confused face.

“You mean that _fucking_ _douche_ in my science class?”

“Yea!” Shiro said excitedly, remembering the details. “I think his name was John? Or something like that.”

Keith thought over it snapping his fingers. “No it was— Jane —No! It was James! James griffin! Man I fucking hated that kid!” Remembering the fight only made him more angry and upset. Getting grumpy at the thought of his 7th grade rival.

“Man” shiro sat up, leaning back on the palms of his hands. “I remember that kids dad— he was a dick.”

Keith smiled at Shiro’s attempt at cursing “A dick? what’d he do?”

“Oh man.” Shiro was smiling, recalling the bad memories as if it was a delightful  story or a funny wives tale. “He was such a prick when it came to other parents and would always shit on single moms. He especially was always bragging about his bad-ass son. He used to grind my gears at PTA meetings.”

“Who still says grinds my gears anymore?”

Shiro smiled, flicking Keith in his forehead “Hey watch it. While you were beating up his brat-of-a kid, I was dealing with his equally crummy father.”

“Wow what did you do?”

His older brother smiled down at him, happily relaying the memory. “He liked the corner pieces in brownies, so I would make brownies and purposely burn the corner piece to pitch black, and then serve it to him at fundraisers.”

 _What_?

Keith laughed, eyes watering. Just thinking about his older brother wearing his lavender “ _politely_ _hug_ _the_ _cook_ ” apron while having a devilishly smile on his face as he pre-wrapped overly cooked and inedible brownies.

“Shiro, that’s so damn immature— and _petty_. How did you even get him to eat something like that it they were clearly fucked up?”

Shiro leaned back a smug and prideful smile on his face. “You see Jame’s dad might’ve been a pain in the ass, but he was a stickler for rules and social decorum. He always fell victim to social constructs and politeness and would always eat one if I offered it in public.”

Keith rolled his eyes smiling up at his brother. “ I can’t believe you felt so smug and badass at something as small and lame as burnt brownies.”

His older brother released a small laugh. Finding his brothers young naivety refreshing.

“It’s hard to be outwardly rude in the adult world. When you get older you’ll see how great it feels to do petty and passive aggressive shit at people you can’t stand.”

“I don’t understand, how can something so small and unnoticeable as burnt brownies can be taken as fighting words.”

He felt brother shift, the movement causing The back of Keith’s head to bump into Shiro’s stomach. “You’ll understand when your older.”

“I’m 21 years old”

“ I meant what I said.”

They laughed at that. Both relishing in memories of Keith’s unruly teen years until they were dying of laughter and red in the face.

Keith thought about this, how he didn’t want to strain his relationship with his brother anymore. How he could do this.

The man was his best friend, brother, hell— his father even. He could give Shiro a break for 2 months.

If he couldn’t do it for himself, he’d do it for Shiro.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Saturday, July 1st 20XX_

_12:01 PM_

_Hansdenshile, California_

“ _Ohhh -ohhh- ohhh, I want to know,were I can go-oo”_

_ “When your not around, and I’m feeling down.” _

Lance was singing out , his voice soft and melodious filling the silence on the little makeshift garden located on the back patio of his shared apartment. The perks of having an upstairs room is that everyone had a small balcony porch that lance made sure he made absolute use of. Using green and blue colored plant pots, decorative bottles and containers to plant whatever seeds he could get his hands on. Starting all the way from Carnations and marigolds to even vegetables like potatoes and onions.

“ _So won’t you stay for a moment so I can say.”_

_ I, I need you sooo, cause right now ya kno-ow.” _

He was so involved in what he was doing, not noticing the sliding door open or the two bodies standing at the door watching him sing.

“ _There’s nothing with me, and I’m obsessed with you.”_

_ “And I feel to the ground, when you smiled at me and said-“ _

Lance quickly stopped his singing when he heard clapping by the door. Standing there were pidge and hunk smiling applauding like there were at a concert and the artist had just finished their encore.

Lance’s face turned as red as his beats. Embarrassed at being caught singing in front of his friends.

“Why’d you stop!” Pidge asked, her arms crossed as she leaned against the frame of the door.

“Yea!” Hunk chimed in, excited at his friends singing!” We haven’t heard you sing in so long! It reminded me of when we used to have those bomb ass karaoke nights!”

“Well” the Cuban boy gave his roommates a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck. “Suck it in, it’s the last your gonna hear in while.”

Hunk went up to him, grabbing lance in his arms and lifting him up like he weighed nothing dramatically fake crying.”but _laaaance_ , you have the voice of an _angel_ , if you never sing, I don’t think my heart can take it!”

Lance smiled, deciding to play along with Hunk’s antics. “H-Hunk it’s so sad! My voicebox is dying, I don’t think I’ll ever sing again, oh woe is me!”

“No!! But you must Jessica! You _must_ sing!”

Lance and Hunk continued messing around spouting nonsense while fake crying and laughing as pidge rolled her eyes, smiling while being slightly I irritated at their annoying behavior.

“If your done having a daytime soap opera, I was wondering if we can give lance his gift?”

Lance immediately stopped playing around, looking over Hunks shoulder, eyes lighting up as he looked at the plastic bag pidge held up in her hand, it was white with the Goodwill logo on it and seemed to be moderately heavy. He made grabby motions over Hunk’s body “Gimmie Gimmie-“ Hunk sat him down as he raced over to pidge and grabbed the bag from her hands.

She looked smug, as her friend dugg around in the bag and pulled out a pair of huge overalls, and a big straw hat.

“You told us you were going home to your parents place, and we remembered what happened to your old stuff, so we went out and bought something you would feel well, more at home in.”

Lance examined the items in the bag. The first were overalls that were a light wash denim, it felt heavy without being bulky and lightweight without being cheap. It had gold buttons on it, and holes from being worn. The pockets were humongous and the were holes on the front, sides, and one on the butt and legs.

The next item was a large straw hat that had a pastel yellow ribbon around it. Lance put it on his head, shaking his back and forth, feeling the way the hat settled in his head. He didn’t even notice his friends waiting for his response.

“So” Pidge started hands behind her back “do you like it?”

Lance looked up smiling brightly as he held the overalls, the straw hat tilting back as he lifted his head up. “I don’t just like it, I _love_ it! Thanks so much you guys!”

“But what about the holes?” Hunk questioned worried his friend was just being nice to them for the gift’s sake.

“No, I love it I really do.” And he does. Although buying things brand new is good and there’s nothing wrong with it, lance has always been used to worn hand-me-down-clothing.Saying he prefers stuff that’s been “used and loved” as opposed to something that’s made in a factory somewhere in China or Taiwan. The only thing he really buys new is accessories and shoes, and that’s only when he has money.

He went up to pidge and hugged her tightly, the young girl gasping as lance squeezed her half to death “Thank you for everything, and for the gift. And as for the holes I might just see patches on them or something, ya know?make em cute.”

“Awwww” Hunk had a huge smile on his face “All this love and appreciation is making me all huggy.”

“Bring it in big guy”

Pidge’s eyes widened “Lance wait! You know how he hugs-“

“ _Gaaaahhh_ ” Hunk walked up with both arms and hugged his friends both at once lifting them up into one big group hug.

“We’re gonna miss you when you leave.”

Lance hugged them both tighter “I’m gonna miss you guys too.”

All three stayed like that for a while, hugging for what almost was a solid minute before pidge spoke it.

“Guys I can’t breath.”

“ _Shhhhh_ ” Hunk said quietly. “Longer-Lasting hugs are good for you mentally and can cure anxiety.”

“Does curing anxiety also cause a caught off of breathing? Cause-“

“Shhhhhh pidgeon” Lance said reveling in the warmth, “just let it be and relax.”

Pidge huffed an irritated noise and tried to move away.

“Ok guys that’s enough...”

“Guys!”

“ _GuYS_!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_ “Do you take me as a flower?” _

_ “You pick me up, pick and choose time with me pluck my petals by the hour” _

_ “And when I break lose your so sour” _

_ “You thrive off having all my power” _

 

 _Who’s_ _singing_?

 

 _Where_ _is he_?

 

_Keith is standing in a field of flowers. It’s not sunflowers like usual, but all white flowers. Roses? Carnations probably? He doesn’t know. All he knows is it’s completely sunny outside. No a cloud in the sky as a gentle breeze goes over the field._

 

_He starts walking, his feet carrying him as if on autopilot, he looks down at the flowers below him, he plucks one holds it in his hand. It’s lovely, and delicate. His feels the petals, and immediately recoils. He thinks someone as destructive as him shouldn’t be holding it. He’s not used to fragile things._

 

_He wished he could put it back in the ground._

 

 _He_ _hears_ _something_.

 

“ _Wouldn’t you like to see me frail?”_

_ “Wouldn’t you like to see my fail? _

_ “Wouldn’t you like to hold me back?” _

 

 _The_ _singing_.

 

_Keith runs toward it, hoping he doesn’t trample any flowers on his way there._

 

_As he’s running he sees someone in the distance, and speeds up wanting to be closer._

 

 _He_ _feels_ like _he’s being drawn in to this person, like he needs this person._

 

_He slows down and stops completely when he’s directly in front of the person. He feels oddly familiar. He’s wearing light-blue jean shorts and white flowy top. He was one of the white rose-like flowers in his hair and he’s covered in freckles.Light brown skin, and dark brown hair offering a stark contrast to all the white flowers around him._

 

 _He’s_ _absolutely_ _beautiful_.

 

_He looks up his blue eyes look into black as the boy stares up at him._

 

 _He_ _needs_ _to_ _get_ _closer_.

 

_The wind settles over him, rustling his hair, making him appear even more delicate and ethereal._

_The boy grabs his hand, holding it as if it’s made of glass and then takes one of the white flowers and presses it between both of their hands._

_The sensation is something like Keith’s never felt. It feels warm, and instantly relaxes him as it touches his skin. It’s welcoming, and wonderful and soft. Like it’s washing away all the anger and unhappiness he’s ever felt up to this point._

_The boy lets go of him and he immediately chases the touch back. Wanting desperately to hold on to this boy, needing his warmth and love. As he reaches out the the grab the boys arm, keith notices something about his hand._

_It’s glowing. His hand is glowing, emitting light from palm. He looks down amazed and confused as to what’s happening to him._

_The other boy grabs his glowing palm and kisses it. Sending all types of bees and butterflies through Keith’s stomach. That one kiss made his entire arm feel warm, spreading throughout his body, a tingling feeling settling in his chest._

_The boy hugs Keith and makes him feel like he’s in heaven._

_The warmth is tremendous. Starting off as a spark and erupting into a full blown voltage the flows continuously through his body. He can hear the other person humming in his head. There so close to each other. Keith leaning his head on his shoulder, as the boy rubs circles into Keith’s back and shoulder. Humming and singing in Keith’s ear._

 

 

“ _You’ll_ _never_ _see_ _me_ _fade_ _to_ _black_.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keith jumped awake. His dream not scary, but just as alarming and confusing as the others.

Usually when he dreams of people he finds attractive he’s usually _fucking_ them into the mattress, not discovering magical powers and frolicking with them in a fucking flower field.

The Asian boy stands up. And stretches, wide awake after whatever the hell that was. Keith’s just sitting there on his bed staring into space trying to make since of whatever he just dreamt up.

 

_I know I’m tired if I’m thinking of shit like that._

_What_ _time_ _is_ _it?_

 

_4:43 AM_

Two more hours until him and shiro have to hit the road for 9-hour trip to Butt-fuck nowhere, Oregon.

 

Keith rubbed a hand through his hair, looking at the black sky through his window. Taking notice of the white flowers just barely budding their petals from the vines entwined around his windowsill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are heavily appreciated.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy and remeber this story takes place over the course of 2 months so this will be a long story. I’m hoping for around 30-75 chapters and I hope people can stand me for that long lol.  
> But yea thanks for reading!! 
> 
> Te quiero


	4. Camellia Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith arrives at the farm, and lance and keith have a bonding moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long. Im gonna try to post more chapters at a faster rate. And i hope this chapter being long asf can compensate for the long work time, but it probably doesn't.
> 
> Chapter notes- All chapters will contain some form of Spanish from here on out, ranging from small words, spanglish, and full on Spanish conversations. I will not be translating any of it, and I'm leaving it up to context clues to interpret what they are saying. You guys are smart, you can figure it out. I did this because I wanted to write this as a decently professional books, and books don't have translations in them mid narrative/paragraph. 
> 
> This is how i learned Spanish and am now an intermediate-advanced speaker. If i found out readers are having a problem with it i will work around it but for now, this is how its going to be.
> 
> Enjoy the read!!

_June,2 ,20XX_

_Dismiscus, Oregon_

_5:13 PM_

 

“So do you have your phone?”

”Yes Shiro.”

”And your paperwork?”

” _Yes_. Shiro.”

”And all of your-“

”YES! Yes shiro, I have it;  _I_ _have_ _all_ _of_ _it.”_

Keith was trying to keep his temper in check, for shiro and mostly for himself, but it seemed like the entire trip here was tying to make him do anything but that. From road-hogs who don’t know how to fucking drive, to backed up traffic, to shitty music stations and lazy teenagers who can’t get a simple damn order correct, it seemed like nothing went right on this trip.

And to make it worse was the fucking crackhead they almost hit.

Let Keith explain, They were 7 hours into the trip, driving down a long narrow path surrounded by nothing but forest and field for what seemed like _miles_. Shiro was saying something about how beautiful the scenery was. Keith was saying it’s all pretty until you realize your surrounded by nothing but hicks and fat ass misqitoes. As they were talking they noticed what looked like a person standing further down the long road.

Keith being as he is, told Shiro that the guys probably a fucking weirdo and that they should drive on ahead. Shiro being the deputy officer who just _has_ to help people decided to slow down because “ _we need to stop Keith, he could be hurt or in danger and we’ll just drive right pass him. Do you want that on your conscious?”_

Keith honestly couldn’t give a shit if the next fucking _messiah_ was waiting for them at the end of the road, but if it’s one thing Keith knows it’s that the devil works hard, but Shiro’s hero complex works harder.

As his brother slowed down and pulled up they noticed something was immediately wrong with the man. His skin was pasty white, he had tattered clothing and looked like he hadn’t bathed in _years._ His eyes were dilated, he had some kinds of blisters all around his lips and face and his fingers looked burnt on the tips.

Keith had done more than enough drugs to know what the fuck was up with this guy.

Shiro said sorry and then immediately sped up, trying to get away from him, only for the guy to _speed_ up after, and catch up with the car. Running almost beside it. Keith realized at that moment they were dealing with just any druggie or freak on the side of the road. They were dealing with a _crackhead_. 

And nothing’s more indestructible than a backwoods crackhead.

Shiro was a millisecond away from flooring it when they guy jumped and leaped in the front of the car landing with a thud in the middle of the road. Shiro swerved, trying to avoid hitting the guy and almost flipped the car over into woods. 

Keith had looked at the corner of his eye and saw the bastard stand up straight as if _nothing_ happened, and fuck off into the Woods. Covered in blood and dirt. It was at the moment Keith realized two things:

1.) He Fucking hates Oregon 

2.) Redneck crackheads are overpowered as _fuck_ and no one can convince him otherwise

After that incident, they continued the drive in silence, to weirded out and tired to say or do anything else. 

And here was Keith standing right at the farm, as shiro was checklisting him, making sure he had all his essentials.

”And make sure to call me at least _once_ a week!”

Keith gave a trademark smirk “I’ll do you one better and not call at all.”

”Keith.” Shiro said with warning, but realeased a breath at his brothers antics “Keith go easy on them,please they don’t know what there getting into. And at least _try_ to be nice.”

”I’ll be decent.”

”I didn’t hear a no and that’s good enough.”

Shiro smiled st his brother a somewhat sad look in his eyes. “I’m gonna miss you Keith.” keith huffed out a laugh at his older brother, “what happened to not knowing what do with me?”

”That’s different. Every kid gets on their parents nerves. Im just sad now. Who’s gonna drive me crazy all summer?” The boy adjusted the strap on his backpack. “I’m sure you’ll find someone.”

Shiro leaned out the window giving his brother a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll see you later.” Keith wiped his forehead like there was dirt on it, shiro smiled at his brothers childish behavior “I’ll see you later Shiro.”

Keith and shiro never really said goodbye. Both agreeing that it sounded way to depressing, especially given their backstories. So they both settled for “See you later” it would always leave a bit of hope for the other person.

He watched as his older brother drove off in their black car, the vehicle getting smaller and smaller as it went down the dirt road, until it was completely gone. 

_There he goes._

Keith turned around to face the farm, finally taking it all in.

 _Holy_ _shit_.

_This is beautiful._

The farm was _huge_ , _gigantic_ , so big Keith couldn’t even describe it. It looked like it stretched for miles, seeming like there were millions upon millions of sunflowers growing _everywhere_. They were tall, the flowers seeming to come up to his forehead, some looking like they could even be Shiro’s height. So bright and vibrant and _pretty_. The giant golden flowers and petals seeming fake and unreal.

In the distance he could see a big barn, with faded red paint and a giant bell attached to it. Like a church bell sort of. A couple spaces over was a house. It seemed like it had 2 or 3 stories and was a light brown. The sky was a bright orange, casting a strange glow on the field, making this place seem almost like a dream or a hyper-real vision.

In front of him was a sign that hung tall and wide. It read _Sanchez’s Sunflowers_ on it and underneath it:  _Garisoles De Sanchez_ in Spanish _._ Right were Keith is standing, is the beginning of a cleared walking path, probably designed for visitors so now one takes a wrong turn into the sunflowers to get lost. 

Keith begins walking on the path, taking in all the long wondrous sunflowers. He’s walked for what he thinks is about 20 minutes we he comes along a cross section with two paths going in opposite directions.

In the middle of the two paths is a sign one with a picture of a barn that says “ _El_ _Granero_ ” going off to the left and a another one with a house on the says “ _Nuestra_ _Casa_ ” going of to the right. Nothing was written in English and Keith knew that casa meant house, so he probably had to go to there to check in the the owners. He stood there, thinking for about a minute until he heard what sounded like rustling in the flowers near him. 

It’s probably nothing,an animal or some shit. Not his problem, so he won’t worry-

_He hears rustling again, but this time it’s right next to him._

Keith decides to pretend not to notice the rustling leaves, pretending to examine the sign some more. After a couple seconds he slowly lets his eye travel to the corner while still keeping his head turned straight.

 He lets out a small gasp when he notices a person watching him. He doesn’t wanna turn all the way around and scare them off. The strange part is that he doesn’t feel threatened like he usually does when people watch him or look at him, he just feels _observed_.

He tried to make it what he can from the sliver of his eye. The person has light brown skin and overalls? Probably? He decides ya know what? Fuck it! And completely turns around to face his stalker.

Bad idea. Because he catches barely a glimpse of whoever is watching him before they take off running into the thick vastness of the sunflowers. Keith immediately decided to chase them, his fight or fight instincts kicking in. 

As he’s running he takes in detail about the person he’s chasing. First, they’re a _really_ fast fucking runner, like really fast. Second they’re barefoot. Which is just _ok_ ,not the strangest thing but certainly not expected. The person is also wearing a big straw hat, and overalls. He can make it a small rainbow and clouds patch on the butt of the pants but that’s about it. This guy is really fast and Keith’s losing sight of him, only chasing him based on where he Can hear his footsteps with through the flowers.

He can feel his adrenaline pumping. He’s  almost close, if he can just catch up— a little closer. Just a little—

_**CRASH** _

In his efforts to catch up to the mysterious stranger he didn’t notice the small, but steep dropoff and quickly tripped and crashed. Landing in what looked like a garden with a mix of fruits and vegetables.

He hastily examined the damage. He completely crushed some of the flowers. The petals a bright happy pink, not completely ruined, but still fucked up no thanks to the Asian boys’s bombarding.

He looked up and noticed that he was at a house,( _probably the same house he saw in the distance)_ and took notice of what else was around him. The house was a light brown, completely wooden and about 2 stories high. It had a long and big country style porch and bright yellow rocking chair. There were sunflowers and other wildflowers growing by the side of the porch and even on the vines by the door. 

“You crushed mom’s Camellias”

Keith looked up from where he was sitting, above him was a girl who had that same familiar brown skin, short wavy dark brown hair and glasses perched on her nose. She had a hand in her hip and looked down at Keith like he was gum on her shoe. 

Keith thought for a minute. ”What the fuck is a camellia”?

She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue, obviously irritated by Keith lack of knowledge on flowers. “That doesn’t matter, visiting ended an hour ago, only staff and family are allowed to come to the house anyway.”

He was about to say something when she  cut him off. “I don’t know what your doing, but I heavily suggest you leave before I call the cops.”

_Wow, I haven’t even been here a full day and I’m already being treated like a criminal._

Keith stood up and dusted the dirt off his dark jeans. “I’m not planing shit. If you would let me speak you would know that I’m the guy here for the mission.”

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “You're Keith Kogane?”

Keith gritted his teeth together, his attitude going from a 7 to a solid 9 and a half. “No I’m not, obviously I’m the fucking Easter bunny and I’ve come to shit you some eggs.”

The girl recoiled obviously taken aback and alarmed by Keith’s spike in behavior. “ You don’t need to get an attitude fuck-face, I was just asking a question.”

”If anyone here’s a fuck-face it’s y-

“ _Es algo mal bébé?”_

Keith turned away from arguing and noticed the woman standing on the porch, she was much lighter than he expected her to be, and had long red-brownish hair and soft eyes. She was incredibly short, probably standing at about 5’1. She had on a yellow shirt with a long blue skirt and was holding a large bag of chicken feed.

She seemed worried at the scuffle going on outside and the girl just said “ _Nada_ _mamá_ ” And waved her hands as if to shoo her.

The older woman turned her head towards Keith, and jutted her bottom lip in his direction. “ _Quien_ _ese_   _níno_?

Despite being in a different language, keith realized the conversation was obviously about him and hastily stood up _why hadn’t he stood up before?_ He ran a hand through his hair nervously, shifting balance from one foot to another. “Hi, um hello. I’m Keith, the guy that was sent here for the public service mission. I don’t know if you got a call about it or not, but here I am.”

The older woman looked at him suspiciously, her eyes narrowing. If she was trying to be intimidating it was kinda working. She turned to the younger girl _or_ _her_ _daughter, Keith’s assuming given the context._

_“Veronica, llevar a este chico adentro.”_

She nodded her head obediently, and turned over to Keith to speak. “She asked me to take you inside, follow me and save the rude attitude for later got it?” Keith rolled his eyes, slowly walking behind the girl ”whatever bitch." As he made his way up the porch stairs, the older woman was speaking to her daughter in rapid fire Spanish, no doubt in his mind that they were probably talking about him.

 _“No lo dejes solo en la sala, no quiero que nada vaya a faltar. Leí sus papeles y sé lo que ha hecho. Y no lo dejes cerca de lancito, quiero que mi bebé esté a salvo_.”

“ _Yes, mamá”_ she looked back at Keith wearily.

_Hmmm, wonder what she said about me._

As they walked into the house Keith was taken back. What he expected and what he saw was totally different. Inside was very well decorated, an olive green sofa with a matching loveseat and chair, a maroon Persian rug that spread across the entire floor, a bookcase filled to brim and a shelf with dozens of nickknacks, along with pictures of family members and all kinds of wall decor spread about.

This place was extremely nice looking and homey, not at all matching the run down and shabby exterior that the house presents.

As he walked in an older taller man came and took his bags, disapearing upstairs. He stood there awkwardly waiting for someone to adress him. 

“You, come here.” A heavily accented voice called him. It was the older woman from before. She waved her hands toward the Kitchen. Keith followed and sat down with slight hesitation. He sat down at a large brown kitchen table, Keith noticed every seat had a different colored cushion. 

“My name is Benita ,if you like to know.”

Keith held his head in his hand, mindlessly looking out the window. 

Benita was pouring something in a cup, and handed it over to Keith. It was coffee or well it _smelled_ _like_ _coffee_. He drunk some and automatically recoiled at it. The drink was sludgey, dirt brown and tasted gritty as hell. The woman watched him in amusement, attempting to drink the mud she poured out for him. 

“How does it taste?” She said in a sly manner.

Keith made a disgusted face,”like absolute fucking shit.”

”Good, I remember to make some more.”

Keith felt the tall-tell burn in his blood, a warning sign of what was coming. He clenched and un-cleched his hands. Trying not to scream at the woman in front of him.

 _Patience_ _yields_ _focus_. 

“Why’d you call me in here?” Keith said exasperated, only being here for an hour and already fucking done.

”If you going to be here, you need rules.” Despite her broken English, Benita sounded deadly serious. Already reminding Keith of a certain hard-ass female counselor from back home. 

“Fine, What rules?”

She held up a finger “Rule One: You no take anything from my house. Everything in my house I bought, I earn. If it goes missing I call Shay. _Comprende?”_

Keith crossed his arms and closed his eyes momentarily, sitting back in the chair. “Fine, _comprande_ or whatever.”

”Ok, Rule two: If anyone give you job you do it, and do it well. No half-ass on my farm.”

She turned to fully face him, looking him dead in his eyes. “Rule 3: If you hurt anyone in my family, I do not call the police, _I take care of you myself. Understand?_ ”

“ _I TaKe cArE oF yOu MySeLf_ whaveter lady, screw off. I got the message, your English needs some work but I won’t hold it against you.” 

She looked absolutely bewildered at that. Her expression sad until she turned angry a second later, keith was reveling, wearing a shit eating grin on his face, he felt good for about 2 seconds before a thick sandal was whacked against his head. 

“ _Owww_! What the fuck-“

”Don’t be so — _**whap** \- _disrespectful, you be lucky, I don’t lock you outside.”

Keith rubbed the side of his head, it surprisingly hurt like shit.

The same girl — Veronica he remembered, had stopped at the kitchen door. She held gardening supplies and changed from her crop top and shorts to overall shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt.

”Mamá, padre needs someone to go out to the barn and move those giant stacks of wood out of the empty pen. I would do it but abuelita put me on flower duty.”

Benita turned to Keith and smiled “ _Perfecto,_ that can be you first job. Veronica, go get some of Marcos old clothes and show him to the barn. I have to go to handle business, make sure Keith gets work done.”

“ _Si_ _mamá_. You heard her Keith lets go.”

He begrudgingly got up from his seat and went to follow Veronica, leading him upstairs.

_This is gonna be a long summer._

 

 

* * *

 

_June 2, 20XX_

_6:47 PM_

_Sanchez’s Sunflowers- Family owned sunflower Farm and Produce._

They had been walking through the sunflowers, for what seemed like ages twisting through thick stems and getting eaten up by a thousand fucking misqitoes. The sun was starting to set, the orange and red transitioning to a light purple. Veronica told them it would be a minute before they reached the barn.

The entire walk was filled with silence, the only sounds being the scresming cicadas, the ground crunching underneath their feet, the animals from the nearby forest and the brush of the flowers in the wind. 

Keith was fine with the silence. If she didn’t want to speak to him he wasn’t gonna speak to her. If it’s mutual it’s mutual. He had to admit, it is a little awkward but nothing he can’t handle. He’d rather it be awkward than end up talking and over sharing with a complete stranger. 

Veronica looked over her shoulder behind him. “So..” she started unsure of where to take off. “What did you do, I mean— how did you end up here?” Keith gave her a disgusted look. “Why the hell do you care? Obviously your family can’t stand me. Doubt you want to deal with me too.” She sighed, shifting the gardening supplies in her hands. “If your gonna be living at my house for 2 months I deserve to know why your here.”

”So you read my file?”

“No, but my mom did.” She turned left in the path, the sunflowers brushing against the top of her head. “I asked her about it and she said, “ _I_ _didn’t_ _know_ _they_ _let_ _criminals_ _walk_ _free_.” “Obviously that warrants some questions.”

Keith’s voice level rose, getting a tad bit louder with the spike of his attitude, “I’m not a criminal— I might have done something fucked up but I didn’t rape anybody or something like that.”

Veronica released a little laugh, turning her head to face him “what did you kill someone or something?”

Silence.

Veronica waited for Keith’s rebuttal, maybe a curt _fuck_ _off_ or something other. After about a minute, that’s when her realization sunk in. Her eyes widened as she got quiet hoping to _god_ that Keith didn’t hear her joke, and that’s why he didn’t respond. 

“Keith” She tried to keep her voice steady, somewhat afraid to face him. “Please tell me I’m joki-

“Hey I think we’re here.” Keith gritted through his teeth, changing the subject. She looked up and it turns out he was right. They were standing in front of the red barn doors, the sun casting a giant gleam on the bell hanging from the top of the structure. 

“You can head on inside, the pen is the last one to the left, just stack the wood and close up. When your done, you can come back and make sure you don’t get lost. I have to go find my brother and get my work done, if you need help talk to dad, chances are my mom won’t even acknowledge you.”

The Asian boy nodded his head taking in her instructions. “Got it, you can leave now.”

She started to walk off, but stopped facing forward not meeting Keith’s eyes. “Oh and be careful, ok?” She said the last part calmly. With less warning and more concern and fear. She walked off disappearing into the field. 

_Mhmm, that wasn’t fucking mysterious at all. Thanks universe._

After that initial weirdness, he walked over to the last pen, seeing the giant stacks off wood, he rolled up the long sleeves of the borrowed shirt and got to work. Making sure to organize them in a semi-decent pile next to the pen. 

The work was going— well _like_   _work._ Hewas getting the job done and that seemed to matter the most. He was 15 minutes into it when he heard what sounded like faint singing and guitar strings. 

 _Who_ _the_ _fucks_ _playing_ _a_ _guitar in a barn?_

He dropped the pieces of wood, and began to follow the sound of singing. It started off as faint and then got louder and louder as he got closer.

” _I’m lying on the moon”_

_ ”My dear, I’ll be there soon” _

_ ”It’s a dark and stormy place _

That’s a strange and awfully depressing sounding song. But the voice is _absolutely_ _beautiful_. Keith finds himself drawn to it. 

“ _Times we’re swallowed up.”_

_ “We’re here in space a million miles away” _

Keith realizes That although he can clearly hear the singing, it’s not coming from the ground floor it’s— coming _from_ _above_!?

He looks up and see there’s a giant ledge that goes around the barn, high up above the ground. He notices a giant ladder, leading up to a crawspace on the ledge. He sees someone’s bare feet sticking out.

He slowly walks to the ladder and carefully climbs up. As he gets closer he notices the persons wearing light blue overalls, and their toes are painted light blue. 

“ _There’s things I wish I’d knew”_

_ “There’s no thing I keep from you” _

_ ”It’s a dark and shiny place” _

“What are you doing?”

” _ **Ahhh**_ ” The boy screamed at Keith’s interruption, jumping and dropping his guitar in his lap. The instrument was a light brown and was covered in all kinds of stickers and decals. 

Now that Keith’s looking up close the boy looks, oddly familiar. He’s pointy noise and freckles Keith has seen somewhere.

 _Where_ _has_ _he_ _seen_ _this_ _kid_?

”U-um do you need something?” His voice was small, and hair dark brown hair was sticking out from under the faint straw hat he was wearing. 

“Why are singing in a barn?” Keith was close to his face, both their bodies crowded in the small crawlspace. The other boy tried to get further away.

”Why are you in my barn?”

”I asked you a question first.” The both stared at each other, not even answering the others questions. Lance was examining the other boy; his eyes were slanted and brows were furrowed with confusion. He had a sharp jawline and his hair was falling into his face, while the back was put into a messy ponytail.

_Dios mío this boy is hot!_

_”_ if your just gonna stare at me like a lunatic I’m going down.” Lance’s eyes widened and he grabbed on to Keith’s shirt. “Wait! Please don’t go down.” The Asian boy raised his eyebrow, confused at the other boys suddenly frantic behavior. “Why not? The hell do you want from me?”

The other boy shyed away from Keith, suddenly going small like a mouse. “ I was able to get up here, but— I can’t get back down.”

Keith gave him a somewhat irritated, incredulous look. ”So you need me to help you?” The tanned boy slowly nodded his head, looking away in what seemed like shame. 

If it was anybody else Keith would’ve told them to fuck off. Do it by there self and if then he would’ve laugh if the person fell on their ass. But whenever he sees this boy he always feels like he can’t say no. That he just _has_ to help him.

”Ok” Keith nods his head. And he backs up slowly. “So I cant exactly help you down the leader, but I can go down there first and make sure you don’t fall.” The other boy relaxes and nods his head “ok, ok that’s good.” Keith gives the boy a small smile and starts to head down the ladder. He looks up and sees the boy poking his head at him, looking at Keith with concern.

 _That’s_ _cute_.

Keith saw lance slowly get on the ladder and go down. His bare feet barely peeking out from his large overalls. He was going down fine when he abruptly stopped, shaking the leader. 

Keith grabbed on to steady it “What are you doing!?”

”I left camellia up there!”

”Who the fuck is camellia?”

”My guitar!” Lance said in deep distress. He began to hastily crawl up the ladder, causing it to shake tremendously. “ I have to get it!”

”Dude!” Keith yelled back at him. “Stop being a fucking idiot and get down from there!” 

“No I can’t leave her—“

_**SNAP** _

Theladdersnapped, breaking in half at the middle causing lance to fall. Keith ran up to catch lance the boy falling and landing directly in Keith’s arms.

_He’s unsurprisingly light._

Lance’s heart was beating at what seemed like a superhuman rate. Partly from the high fall and partly from being in the cute boys arms. 

Keith looked down at him, smirking at his scared face. “Dude, chill you’re fine.”  They stared at each other, entranced. Keith was so close, so close to the pretty boys face. All he had to do was lean in and—

 _ **DING**_ _**DING**_ _**DING**_

”Ahhh” Keith dropped lance on his ass, covering his ears as the loud bell went off. 

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?”

”THATS THE BELL IT RINGS WHEN ITS TIME TO EAT OR WAKE UP.”

”WHO HAS A BELL FOR FUCKING EATING?”

”WHAT?”

Keith and Lance screamed at each other for what seemed like ages. Not hearing what the other was saying. As soon as the bell stopped ringing the door opened. It was Veronica. Her glasses weren’t on her face, her hair up in a bun her clothes covered in dirt.

”If you would all stop your fucking yelling, you would know that it’s time for dinner.”

Veronica raised an eyebrow at the scene before her. Not questioning anything.

”Oh lance, there you are. Dad was looking for you.”

 

* * *

 

June 2, 20XX 

8:20 PM

Keith sat in his bed in the guest room, contemplating the day so far. The orange purple finally faded into the dark night sky. He had a tv and a large old style drawer, the white paint chipping off in some places.

 Today had been—a _day_. If Keith could call it that. While he did have some slip ups here and there he didn’t necessarily explode at anyone and he’d like to call that an improvement. The only one he could really see having a problem with is Veronica. Not really Benita, because while she may seem to dislike him, so does every adult when they meet Keith.

Keith had also been thinking about that boy— _Lance_ , he had been told on their walk back. He’s seen his face somewhere but he can’t think of where. And besides his perplexing familiarity Keith finds him handsome and good looking and not oddly enough really, _really_ fucking cute.

like just your average “oh your face isn’t terrible looking cute” but like _really_ fucking cute. Keith has been going on dates and having one-night stands since he’s been 16 and as a certified fuckboi, Keith thinks he has a right to judge what attractive really is.

As he’s letting his gay thoughts consume him slowly, he hears a knock on the door. 

“Come in” He called out lying on his side facing away.

He turns around to see who’s intruding his peace and it’s Lance. He’s wearing a white baseball shirt with blue sleeves, a blue hair clip in his hair and had on an apron the says _cállate_ _cállate_ _cállate_ going down in slanted font. In his hand is a large spatula with some kind of food shit on it.

”Hey Keith, dinner will be ready in 15 minutes, can you wash your hands and come downstairs before then.” Keith made a confused face when he realized something “who washes their hands before they eat dinner.” Lance made a slightly disgusted face and spoke in a scandalized manner “are you saying you _don’t_ wash your hands before you eat a meal?”

Keith's tone got snippy, his slight irritation from what Lance said seeping through because _who in the fuck washes their hands before eating? That’s a waste of damn time._

 _”_ No, I don’t, in all my 21 years of exisistance I’ve never washed my hands before eating anything.” Keith said it matter of factly only solidifying Lance’s disgust. 

Lance scrunches his nose as if he smells something foul, obviously physically upset at Keith’s statement because _who doesn’t wash their hands before anything that’s common law what the fuck is wrong with this man._

 _“_ Keith that’s gross and wrong”

”Your face is gross and wrong!” 

_Your face is gross and wrong. Really great comeback Keith._

Lance laughed at Keith’s childish rebuttal, “Well come down when your ready to eat you weirdo.” As the door closed Keith assumes his original position. Thinking over the conversation in his head.

_I could’ve said so many more clever and actually funny things than than that. What the hell is wrong with me?_

_Wait_   _a_ minute.

why the hell was Keith so hung over with his conversation with Lance anyway? He’s never cared about anyone’s opinion about him, and he’s been that way since he was in the 7th grade. He figured everyone’s gonna make fun of him for liking something so he’s gonna do whatever the hell he wants. Now all of a sudden Lance’s opinion is he most important thing in the world?

He said he’d try for Shiro but he can’t let himself get soft.

He turned grabbed a pillow and smushed in to his face, trying to will away the thought of Lance’s laughing face out of his mind.

 

 

_Please just let this summer blow over._

 

* * *

 

_June 3, 20XX_

_8:18 AM_

_Dismiscus, Oregon_

_Sanchez’s Sunflowers- Family owned Sunflower farm and produce._

 

”Rise And shine my mulleted friend!”

Keith heard the screech of curtains opening and the sound of an overly loud cheery voice in his room. He turned his head to see what was going on, only to be greeted by—

“AHHAH THE LIGHT!” Keith turned away from the extremely bright light going through his window, hurting his eyes. Rubbing his face as he huddled back into the covers. Lance smiled cheerfully hands on his hips ”Get up! It’s 8 in the morning, I’ve taken all my medications and breakfast is down stairs!” The Asian boy rubbed the crust out of his eyes, his hair feeling greasy and his limbs heavy “Ya’ know, that’s not really something your supposed to tell someone.”

Lance tilted his head in confusion. “Your not supposed to tell people that breakfast is downstairs?”

Keith decided not to comment on Lance’s confusion and to let him have this one. 

“Why are you up so early anyway?”

Lance turned away from fixing the curtains and looked at a Keith liked he was stupid. “Your literally on a farm Keith. It would be weird if we didn’t wake up early In the morning.”

”I’d rather it be weird then”

”Keith, buddy, _compadre_ , wake up and smell the sunflowers! It’s a beautiful day and we have a lot to do!” Keith raised an eyebrow already over Lance’s chipper and cheery attitude. “And What are we doing that makes it such a beautiful fucking day?”

”Well every year the town puts on a huge district wide state fair and carnival,m to kick off summer, and me and my family go there to help out.”

keith crosses his arms, attitude getting defensive “I’m not wearing a fucking Carney suit if that’s what your thinking.”

Lance made an amused sound at Keith’s ridiculous statement “Classic but who said anything about Clown costume? We just sell flowers and candy and I help decorate.” 

“It better just be that.”

Lance was trying very hard to get used to Keith being around, having already realized the boy was the same boy from Angel’s Bridge, but his personality was _difficult_ to say the least. He was very blunt, and sometimes rude— even when the situation didn’t warrant it. The last time they talked allura had swooped in to save him, which was good because lance was on the verge of bursting into tears.

 

He just hopes he can survive this summer in one piece.

 

He smiled at Keith only to receive a scowl and tired eyes in return.

”What the hell are you smiling for, uh? What’s so funny?”

Lance smiled dropped a little his eyes wandering away. “Nothing, nothing Keith. Just be ready to go in 30 minutes.”

He walked out and shut the door, leaving a tired and somewhat confused Keith behind.

 

 

 

* * *

 

When Veronica told them the car was going to be cramped, he didn’t think it would be like this.

The car was s giant blue SUV, with scratches on the outside and mysterious stains on the inside. A dozen keychains hanging on the mirror and and an odor Keith couldn’t place. 

Benita was driving and Veronica was in the passenger seat (per shot gun rules) Alejandro— Their dad as Keith had learned was sitting in the middle seats with Abuelita and Abuelo. And lance and Keith were smushed together in the last back row. Most of the space being taken up by decoration and booth supplies. 

Keith was pushed up against lance, so close that their thighs and shoulders were touching. At first the Asian boy was gonna complain, not wanting to be so cramped for the 40-minute drive. But after seeing how lance had got in and hadn’t said a word about the seating arrangement Keith figures it wasn’t worth it. 

As of now Veronica was flicking through stations while everyone else was talking, half the conversations going over his head because _he_ _doesn’t_ _know_ _fucking_ _Spanish_.

Veronica turned back to face Lance hand turning up the radio “Hey Lancey, remember this?”

The song was jazzy having a very choppy but still lax beat.

 _“Bantu knots and Boudain bitch_  
_I'm boolin' in the bando_  
_Hot comb on my roots_  
_And marijuana stems on the floor_ ”

Lance’ eyes lit up. Remembering the song clear as day. “Oh my god! They still play that old song?” Veronica nodded excitedly, both of them singing the lyrics perfectly and dancing to the beat.

 _“6 missed calls from mama_  
_Gonna hear that shit when I'm home_  
_Surrounded by my friends_  
_But every night I still feel alone”_

Keith though the lyrics were a little dark and sad but he chose not to comment on them. Just nodding his head along to the music.

As the music continued, Lance ran his hands sensually down his body. Starting from his chest, going down over his hips and slowly caressing his thighs. Wiggling his hips in the seat. Keith decided that the only reason he was staring so hard at lance was because he looked like a fucking idiot, not because what he was doing was _kinda_ _sexy_.

“ _Touchin’ on my thighs_  
_I can tell that you really want me_  
_But I barely know your name_  
_So take your hands and get up-“_

Benita hit her hand on the radio button, turning it off as fast as she can. Lance and Veronica both made a groaned irritated noise. “Mamá! We were listening to that!”

The older woman had a stern look, sharply turning the corner. “There is time and place for everything, and right now is not it.You both know better than to listen to that type of music with your _familia_ in the car.”

Veronica looked back at Keith with an evil and devilish smirk. “I don’t know mom, if you ask me Keith here seemed to be _really_ enjoying it.” 

Keith face reddened at Veronica’s words. The realization that she had caught him leering at her younger brother, causing his face to burn with shame.

Benita made a confused noise “Why would Keith enjoy that? Only you and Lancito like that type of music.”

Benita obviously did not catch the undertones of what Veronica said. Seemingly not noticing how awkward the young adults felt in the car right now. Keith turned to face lance only to find him looking down, playing with his hands as if to avoid Keith’s eyes. 

 

 

It’s safe to say that the rest of the car ride was spent in an embarrassed silence.

 

 

* * *

 

 They pulled up the the fairgrounds at around 12 in the afternoon, there is a suprising amount of people here. All types of booths being set up and a giant rainbow colored tent in the center, probably wee the circus acts will be. 

Keith starts getting boxes, tying to get the heavier ones out of the way first. As he’s turns to grab another he notices Lance and his dad, he can’t hear what there saying but he figures lance lost the argument as the boy has a pout on his face and is walking away from his father dejectedly. 

“What happened?” 

An irritated look goes across the Cuban boys face. He crosses his arms in a harsh manner and crouches on the ground. “My papi is being an asshole and won’t let me carry anything”

Keith was confused. Lance looked pretty healthy to him, minus some more mental things he’ll touch on later. He wonders if Lance has one of those “invisible” diseases he read somewhere once.

He wants to give him something to carry, just to shut up his whining, but doesn’t wanna cause a scene, and make everyone think that Keith is forcing their _poor_ _sick_ _son_ to do manual labor. 

“I’m not sick or anything like that if that’s what your thinking.” Holy shit. He was thinking exactly that. “But I was in an.... _accident_ a couple months ago, so my family doesn’t really think I’ve recovered yet.”

lance hopes Keith doesn’t question it further.

Keith narrows his eyes and sets his box down. He picks up another equally heavy one and plops it in Lance’s lap. The boy jumping at the big weight landing on his skinny frame. 

“What you said just sounded really sus as fuck, but I’ll give you a box if it means you stop crying.”

Lance picks up the box, having to slouch over just to carry it decently. He takes deep breaths and lifts his head up as much as he can to face Keith. “Thanks man, I didn’t want to sit here and be bored all afternoon.” Keith just nods and begins walking over to the giant tent, the box labeled **_trapeze_**   _ **decorations**_ in big permanent marker. 

Keith wonders off further around the tent, curious as to see what’s there.

To his dismays its just more people setting up, this time a bunch of people in bright blue and green colorful costumes.

One of them looked over at Keith and recognized that the giant box in hands. The waved him over “Set it down right here, all the trapeze stuff needs to be open first.”

As Keith settled it down he noticed that the group of performers were staring in a certain direction. He followed their point of view and it lead to Lance, talking to someone else in the distance.

Keith looked at the group angrily “Why are you guys staring at him like that?”

“Lance used to perform with us every year, that kid is an amazing Ariel dancer.”

”Oh yea? What happened?”

The girl took on sad tone, smiling as she fondly recalled the memories. “He got a rich boyfriend, went to college and no one heard from him again.” Keith was about to comment when lance had called him over, needing his help to carry something back to the booth.

He hastily excused himself and went over 

 

A couple hours later everything was set up and done, the place looked nothing like it did when they first arrived.

All the booths and rides were set up, and there was thousandths of colorful lights everywhere. People were swarming all around him and it seemed like everything successfully came together.

Keith was leaning against a booth, drinking a stale bud light he’d been offered earlier when lance came up to him and grabbed his arm, pulling him.

”Hey Keith! Let’s go do some stuff! Like right now!” He rushed it out and pulled on Keith like a maniac. The Asian boy tried to push his hands off of him. Alerted and confused at Lance’s behavior. “Dude get off me! Go do that lame carnival shit by yourself!”

”Its not lame!” Lance’s sad, exasperated already at the other boys defensive behavior. “It’s fun and you look like you need to have _a_ _lot_ of fun. So _come_ _on_ and let’s go!”

“Give me one good reason why I should go with you.” Bad idea, as soon as Keith says that, Lance’s breaks out his puppy eyes. He eyes getting wide and droopy, with his lips in a small pout.

 

Keith already thought lance was hella attractive so of course he would be a weak man.

 

He breathed out his anger and tried to steady himself as Lance was rocking his arm back and forth. “ _Fine_! I’ll play a couple games and do _one_ ride! But don’t expect anything else!” The Cuban boy giggled excitedly, ( a sound Keith didn’t think he should enjoy or like as much as he does.) and drags lance off into the different booths and games area. 

 

 They were walking down the space with all the different booths, kinda awkward since neither of them were talking to each other. Keith did have a couple questions though.

”I heard your used to do carnival acts?”

Lance turned around fast, surprised at Keith’s sudden interest in well, him.  “We’red you hear that from?” Now Lance’s was even more curious as to who was talking to about him. 

“Some of the carnival workers I was delivering boxes to, the had like blue and green sparkly costumes on?”

“Oh,” A sad smile graced Lance’s face, “I know who your talking about, we used to have this whole mermaid sea-creature routine we did every year.”

”What happened?”

Lance looked down, as if he was ashamed or afraid to talk about himself. “I left home and went to college and apparently everyone is either mad I left, or surprised I came back.”

Keith raised an eyebrow at the other boy “Why are you talking like you want to apologize for living your life and going to college?”

Lance’s got kinda scared, face looking worried “I’m sorry I-“

”Stop saying fucking sorry.”

“Sor- ok I will”

Keith looked at lance with anger and a bit of determination “Never apologize for personal choices you made for your own self. You are your own person lance, _got_ _that_?”  Lance nodded, not really believing Keith’s words, but wanting to make the boy happy anyway. 

The walked a couple feet down when lance stopped completely in front of a booth

”What why’d you sto-“ 

Keith followed where lance was staring and directly saw what he was looking. It was a humongous shark plushie, that was light blue, extremely glittery and had had a little top hat on its head. 

Lance looked at it in longing and awe, and a weird feeling in Keith’s gut returned. He turned to face Lance, nothing but determination and hardness on his face.

”I’m going to win you that plushie even if I have to use all the money I have.”

Keith had 100 dollars on him, he made sure he came prepared. Lance’s eyes widened, the boy already stepping away from the booth, “K-Keith! You don’t have to do that I was just-“

”Let’s go.” Keith had already made up his mind. He was going to win that fucking shark for Lance if it’s the last thing he does. He walked over to the booth and slammed a 50 dollar bill in the counter. “Give me as many turns as I can have.”The booth owner looked at Keith like he’s s lunatic and quickly did that math in his head. “If you give me this your gonna have like 150 turns.”

”Did I fucking stutter?”

The guy breathed out and put the money in the machine, the number 150 popping up on the electronic board. “You Have 3 tries, aim the gun at the target and try to knock down 6 targets.” If you get to 6 then you can pick any prize you want.”

”Easy, Lance step back.” Keith got behind the gun, and began shooting at first he missed, the guy smirked at his failed attempt. It only fueled him to do more, so that lance can get what he wanted. 

Keith was there for about 20 minutes, blowing and messing up turn after turn. What went from cute and endearing quickly turned to embarrassment as Keith could never hit more than 2 or 3 targets. Lance was starting to get worried.

”Keith it’s fine, I don’t really need-“

Keith starting shooting at the targets again, “Lance your cute, shut the hell up so I can win this for you. ”Lance sputtered, face turning slightly red at what keith just told him. Meanwhile the boy was still missing targets left and right. 

“Hey” The Carney said, getting Keith’s attention. “Maybe let your boyfriend back there have a shot, seems like your tough on your luck kid.”

Keith face turn red at his statement, “that’s not my boy-“ 

“I’ll take a turn.” Lance said with the little amount of fierceness he had. Keith gave lance a sympathetic smile, “If you don’t get it on this try, it’s fine. I’ll just ask him if I can buy the shark instead.”

Lance just rolled his eyes and went over to the machine and concentrated, just think of and nothing but that target.

 

 _Carefully_ , _Carefully._

 

Lance shot all 6 targets in one go.

Both Keith and the booth owner had a look of pure shock. Both wondering how lance was able to hit the targets so precisely. 

“Can I pick my prize now?” Lance asked the booth owner in an extremely cocky tone. The guy nodded stupidly and Lance pointed to the giant sparkly shark sitting at the very top. The guy went to a box in the back and grabbed one for him.

Lance walked away from that booth with the plushie of his dreams, Keith walked away 50 dollars short and his pride between his legs. 

After that they went around to more booths, playing games and seeing who could win the most prizes. In the end Keith ended up with 2 or 3 while Lance had a giant bag filled with nothing but stuff animals and plushies. 

 

 As they were laughing and talking to each other, Lance let out a giant squeal at the sight before him. It was a humongous Ferris Wheel in the shape of a sunflower. The carts looking like giant petals in the sky. 

Lance shook Keith rapidly, getting his attention. “Keith, Keith look! It’s a sunflower Ferris wheel! We _have_ to get on.” Keith was hesitant, he didn’t fair well in heights and being in a cramped space for more than 3 minutes always put him on edge.

But then, he looked at Lance, and how exited he was at the prospect of riding it. 

Keith may be literal human trash fire, but even he can have some decency once in a while. He smiles as lance acts like an excited puppy and decides that this is his good deed for the day. He takes the gigantic bag out of Lance’s hand and carries it easily in his arms. “I’m gonna go put these in the ride bins, until we get off. Alright.”

Lance nods his head, still bouncing and smiling like a maniac because of a Ferris wheel.

Keith huffs out a laugh at Lance’s adorable childish behavior and walks to the big red bin that says “ _ **IF IT CANNOT FIT ON THE RIDE OR IN YOUR LAP OR THE SEAT NEXT TO YOU IT MUST GO IN HERE.”**_

As Keith sat the items down he felt like someone was staring at him, watching his every move. He chalked it up the faulty human senses and walked away.

” _I_ _sense_ _something_ _dark_ _from_ _you_.”

A croaky, old female voice called out. Keith turned back around to see a hooded figure, (a woman most likely) sitting inside a tent at a table, wearing a black and purple cape with a hood. The tent was large and had a strange symbol on it, the sign read: “ _Haggar’s_   _Fortunes_ ” on it and was purple, with black accents like stripes and flowers.

 Keith looked at the woman with disgust. Scoffing at whatever she had to say “You talking to me? Cause I don’t have time for it grandma.”

The woman pulled off her hood, she had dark brown wrinkly skin, sunken in eyes and stringy white hair. She looked like a fortune telling freak, which seemed pretty normal to Keith if you asked him. The only thing that struck keith as odd was the fact her eyes are bright yellow, and that her _white_? pupil looks invisible against the color.

 “It may see happy now, but just you wait;  _nothing_ but ruin awaits you.”

The Asian boy got an angry and confused look on his face, his eyebrows furrowing. “The _hell’s_ that supposed to mean? I think I’m doing just fine, maybe you should get your eyes checked bitch.”

Despite the fact the woman was obviously blind, she turned and faced Keith as if she could clearly see where he was standing.

”You don’t need eyes to see boy, and if you were smart you’d take a hint. ”He was just about to tell this old bitch to fuck off and die, when he heard a voice call out his name. 

“Keith, Keith! Hurry up! We’re getting closer to the front.” 

The woman put her hood back on her head, turning away from Keith as if she looked at something disusing “Go on to your little friend, just know that’ll he will be your d _ownfall_.”

Keith walked away slowly from the fucking weirdo in a tent, looking back as she got smaller in the distance. Lance was the third person in line, looking around somewhat nervously, relaxing as he sees Keith walking towards him. 

“What took you so long?”

”Sorry, I got— distracted.”

Lance smirked, hitting on his shoulder playfully. “What? Saw a pretty girl or something?” _Why the fuck would i be interested in girls? I'll be fucking damned if i come off as straight._  Keith opened his mouth to respond, the ride operator called out for the next 2 people to get on. 

Lance and Keith went, the cart shaking as they got in. They started slowly going up, the Asian boy bored, yet slightly uneasy as they started going up in height. He turned over to lance only to see him looking at the view as they started going up. His hair framed his face, the flower Keith bought him from the other florist booth, blowing in the wind. His eyes lighting up and his hands holding on the railing. They could see all the lights and scenery below. Keith hand was next to Lance's on the railing, Keith's pinky finger next to lance's. If he just moved a little they would be touching. All he has to do is move his hand a little closer and-

 

**_CLANK_ **

 

The ride came to a screeching halt. A loud banging noise going through their ears. Everybody at the bottom had started pointing up at the ride, people below them screaming from the surprise of the jerk from the sudden stop.

"Keith" Lance started cautiously "Did the ride just-"

"Yep" he said popping the p, looking forward, trying his hardest not to look down. 

Lance was looking down for him, saying the people below were running around like ants. Keith thought about that, the operators scrambling around like ants, he decided to think about that instead of the fact that they  _were 300 feet in the air, probably more because this thing is enormous. Their 300 feet in the air with no way down._

The Asian boy tried to remain calm- drumming his fingers on the railing, He started to swung his feet back and forth, scratching and picking at his skin. Trying his damnedest not freak out.  _As long as wind or nothing crazy like that happened, i think i'll be okay._

A strong gust of wind came shaking up the cart, causing it to swing aggressively back and forth.

 _"AHHHHH"_ Keith hands gripped on the railing for dear life, "Fuck it! I'm done, Get me off of this fucking thing!" He started to shake the cart like a madman, causing it to swing back and forth more than it already was. 

Lance tried to calm Keith down. Grabbing his hands so that he couldn't shake the cart any further. "Dude!  _Calm down!_ You making worse than it already is." Keith snatched his hands out of lance's grip, eyes widening at what he said "Calm down?  _Calm down!?"_ We could die any minute on this fucking circular-ass death trap and your advice is to _calm down!?"_ The Asian boy ran his hands through his hair wildly, his body shaking "Oh my god, I think I need a smoke or _ten."_

Lance stared at him for about 5 seconds before he burst out laughing.

Keith looked at him like he had grown 6 heads, Bewildered at the Cuban boys reaction to his obvious suffering. Lance just continued to laugh," I can't believe this, big bad-boy Keith is afraid of heights! Heights!" 

Keith turned red, shaving lance playfully as the boy cried until tears formed in his eyes. "I'm not fucking afraid of heights! I saved your dumbass from that ladder didn't I? Its only bad when I'm really high up!"

Lance continued to laugh, irritating Keith further. "Heights! Jesus freaking _Chris_ t-"

Keith shoved him once more, causing the seat to shake. "Fuck off!" They stayed like that, Playfully insulating each other and talking for about 15 minutes.

"So were you a gun kid or a slingshot kid?'

Keith smiled, happy but confused as hell "I'm sorry, am I a fucking _what?''_

 _"_ Yknow, were you into guns or slingshots?" Lance asked if if this were a normal, universal topic or conversation starter.

"How about you go first which one were you?" Lance leaned forward, elbows on the railing, thinking over the question. "I was definitely a gun kid, i begged my dad to get me a bbgun when i was 9. I got one for Christmas and i would shoot at empty cans, and my older siblings."

"Why'd you get a gun? You could shoot your eye out ya'know." Keith smiled at his awful reference.

"Whatever" Lance waved his hand, smiling back "Now answer my question: Guns or Slingshots?"

"Neither" Keith said without missing a beat.

"What the heck do you mean _neither_ -" 

"I was a knife kid" Keith smiled proudly, lance just gave him a confused look, because  _what the fuck is a knife kid?_

 _"_ What in god's name is a knife kid?"

"Exactly as it sounds" Keith leaned back as if he were sitting in a reclining chair and closed his eyes. "i was in to big decorative knives, switchblades, pockets knives, you name it, I mostly likely begged my brother to have it."

Lance looked at him torn between being mildly disturbed, or extremely intrigued. "I don't know what I was expecting you to say, but that was most likely it."

Keith spoke, keeping his same position "Oh please, I bet you were one of those kids that put fucking glitter stickers over everything." The boy opened one of his eyes, seeing lance looking at him in shame. " _Oh my fucking god_ , am i right-"

" _Its not funny!"_

"I bet you put fucking rainbow puffy stickers on your BBgun.-"

"Only a _couple-"_

Keith laughed, his turn to make of lance. Thinking of the boy at 12 years old, extremely skinny, holding a bbgun twice his size, covered in rainbow brite, and puffy heart stickers- the sight in his mind made him double over in laughter.

Lance looked embarrassed, punching Keith weakly "Don't make fun of me! We were all weird when we were kids!"

Keith held on to him trying to control his laughter "I shit myself when I'm more than 10 feet of the ground and had a knife fetish, you had the mind of a 12-year old girl! Face it, we were both a couple of fucking wrecks!'' 

They laughed at each other but mostly laughed at themselves, Keith telling Lance how he got in trouble for stealing condoms from the drugstore cause he wanted to see what they looked like and Lance telling Keith how his teacher was giving him a ride home, and he got sick and threw up in his car. Talking and playing all the way up until, they announced the ride was fixed and that they were bringing everyone down.

* * *

 

_June 4th 20XX_

_Dismiscus County Fair and Circus_

_10:40 PM_

It turns out Keith and Lance were stuck on that Ferris wheel for two hours, talking and making inside jokes as they got off. They both walked 10 feet, before lance was ambushed by his family, being swept up in a crushing hug, squeezing them as if he'd just been gone 40 years in war.

His father seemed the most concerned, crushing him in a hug as his deep voice blasted out worried-sounding Spanish. His words almost eligible. " _Pendejo! Donde has estando! ¡Nunca vuelvas a hacer eso! Me entiendes!"_ Veronica looked like she had tears in her eyes, they hugged for about 2 more minutes before they released him. Veronica spoke first, looking just as concerned as Alejandro. 

"Where have you been? We've been looking all over the Fair, but we couldn't find you.We left you alone for 3 seconds and then you just disappeared." 

Lance had a monotone look on his face, he turned back to Keith, to have help with his explanation, but he just couldn't contain himself. 

He busted out laughing. 

Hus family had though he'd gone crazy. Until Keith started laughing to, thinking of all the wild and ridiculous shit that they both said on the top of that Ferris wheel. Both boys laughed like lunatics, Lance's family looking at them like they were insane.

Keith was stuck on top of a Ferris wheel for 2 hours, probably one of his personal worst case scenarios, and still had a better time than he'd had in a long while. Lance expected Keith to still be mean and intimidating, but after opening up he's nothing but a big softie with an affinity for the color black.

They both laughed and laughed and laughed some more.

 

 

 

_This summer might not be that bad after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a lot of stuff happened, and heres some sneak peaks and notes:
> 
> Although this story is about healing, dark topics are involved.  
> Morally grey characters!
> 
> Lance's family isn't completely good, and that will come into play later. In my chapters everything references something later on. I suggest everyone read over things carefully. Nothing should be passed as fluff or filler, unless it truly seems like it.  
> I wanted to make Keith angry while still giving him personality, and i wanted lance to be weary and fearful while still being playful and funny. I hope i balanced this well.

**Author's Note:**

> so yea obviously this isn’t gonna be nicely picey at first but please tell me your thoughts and lend me some CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICSM. I respond to constructive crisitism, not hate mail.


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